Washington: While focusing too much on Iraq, America should not turn a blind eye on
Pakistan, which poses a greater and more immediate threat to global security, Indian
Ambassador to US Lalit Mansingh has said.
"General Musharraf has gone back on every single commitment to end cross-border
terrorism, Pakistan continues to pass on nuclear technology to North Korea and Iraq
and it was they who nurtured Taleban," he said addressing a gathering in Washington
on February 21.
Mansingh said India has been a victim of terrorism for over two decades. "It has
resulted in the death of more than 60,000 of our people.
"US had assessed that base of terrorism had shifted from the Middle East to South
Asia. The epicentre of terrorism, unfortunately, lies in our immediate
neighbourhood." he said.
The Ambassador pointed out that two of the four provinces of Pakistan which adjoin
Afghanistan are today led by governments that are openly supportive of bin Laden and
the al-Qaida.
"The successful dislodging of the Taleban from power in Afghanistan", said
Mansingh, "was at least partly due to the fact that its ideological, military and
financial support did not come from the Afghan people, while all of it came from
Pakistan."
He said it comes as no surprise to India that Osama bin Laden and his gang of
terrorists have found a welcome sanctuary in the rugged mountains of Western
Pakistan.
Accusing Musharraf of "deceiving the world by announcing that he was seriously
involved in war on terror", Mansingh said there was never a let up in terrorism by
Pakistan.
"The leaders of terrorist groups have been released from detention. Funds are being
mobilised for 'jihad' in India. Terrorist training camps are still in full swing,"
he said.
"It is hardly comforting that even today, there are 11,000 'madrasas', which are
imparting more than religious education to 750,000 young seminarians in Pakistan.
They are trained as soldiers of 'jihad', whose enemies are the non-believers, the
Christians, the Jews and the Hindus," Mansingh said.
These young minds eventually are trained to unleash hatred and violence at United
States, India and Israel, the Ambassador added.
PTI
