Washington: The continuing cross-border infiltration from Pakistan is increasing the potential for hostilities breaking out between India and Pakistan in the wake of a "triggering event", a top US official told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

"With the Kashmir situation still unresolved and with continued cross-border infiltration from Pakistan, the potential for miscalculation between the two countries remains high, especially in the wake of some violent 'triggering event' such as another spectacular terrorist attack or political assassination," Vice Admiral Lowell E Jacoby, director of the US Defence Intelligence Agency, told the Committee.

This is inspite of steps taken by both countries to defuse tensions after last year's military stand-off along the line of control (LoC), he said.

"Both sides retain large forces close to the LoC and continue to develop their weapons of mass destruction and missile programmes," Jacoby said in his presentation.

He said that India and Pakistan will increase their inventories of nuclear weapons and seek to improve associated delivery systems.

Jacoby said that Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf claims little influence over militants in Kashmir and other religious extremists, and Pakistan does not completely control areas in the North West where concentrations of al-Qaida and Taleban remain.

PTI