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| Centre talks of terrorist activities ahead of Kasuri’s visit | | | New Delhi, Feb 18
The India-Pakistan peace process is likely to enter a phase of lull with New Delhi expressing concern over continuing terrorist activities, apparently supported from across the border, which might dampen the mood during the visit Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri who is coming here on Tuesday.
The passing week witnessed signals on this from not only National Security Adviser M K Narayanan’s disclosure that terror groups are manipulating Stock exchanges in India, but also from Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil who said “Terrorists are sneaking into big cities and operating clandestinely”.
Narayanan’s statement on terrorists’ penetration to the country’s stock exchanges, particularly of Mumbai and Chennai sent the officials at the South Block in a tizzy.
Addressing the 43rd Conference on Security Policy in Munich last Saturday, Narayanan said, “Isolated instances of terrorist outfits manipulating the stock markets to raise funds for their operations have been reported. Stock exchanges in Mumbai and Chennai have, on occasions, reported that fictitious or notional companies were engaging in stock market operations. Some of these companies were later traced to terrorist outfits”.
He did not stop there as he went on to say that Pakistan based terror groups targeting India like Lashker-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and the Al-Badr “are well patronised, including through provisions of funds, by certain official agencies across the border”.
He also added that many instances of funds intended for terrorists have been received via banking channels are “from so-called safe locations such as Dubai and UAE”.
Narayanan’s statement was closely followed by Shivraj Patil’s remarks, who cautioned the police against being lackadaisical since, “They (terrorists) have been making their plans by hiding in the cities and will continue to do it.”
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad also made a statement this week that cross border terrorism has not come an end.
Replying to a discussion on Tuesday in the Legislative Council of the State, Azad said, “Demilitarisation of Kashmir is only possible and relevant only if aiding and abetting of terrorism from across the border is stopped “.
These statements have come at a time when Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri is scheduled to visit New Delhi on February 20.
Kasuri is scheduled to co-chair the India-Pak Joint Commission with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee. It is believed that during his visit the much talked about Joint anti-terror mechanism with Pakistan will get its first act together.
The statements from Union Home Minister and National Security Adviser indicate New Delhi’s desire that the joint terror mechanism should be a forum that could produce result on the ground.
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