Pak using terrorism as state policy: PM

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New Delhi: Rubbishing Islamabad’s contention that non-state actors might have been involved in the Mumbai attacks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday accused Pakistan of using terror as an instrument of state policy and asserted that the world community must compel it to abandon such tactics.

‘‘On the basis of investigations carried out, (including by agencies of some foreign countries whose nationals were killed in the attack), there is enough evidence to show that, given the sophistication and military precision of the attack, it must have had the support of some official agencies in Pakistan,’’ he said. The PM’s tough talk came a day after India handed over to Islamabad and to other countries evidence of Pakistani elements’ links to the Mumbai attacks.

Addressing a day-long conference of chief ministers on the internal security, Singh conceded that the country’s defence mechanism, especially in countering terrorism, was inadequate and there was need to review the effectiveness of set up for the collection of technical signal and human intelligence. Talking at length on the role of Pakistan in the attacks, Singh accused Pakistan of whipping up war hysteria. ‘‘Today, even as Pakistan engages in whipping up war hysteria, our nation remains steadfastly united and, if anything, the process of national consolidation is becoming stronger.’’

As expected, Islamabad reacted sharply when National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani describing the PM's comments as ‘‘unfortunate’’.

Pakistan foreign secretary Salman Bashir accused India of starting the military build-up and even threatened to go to the United Nations. According to reports, Bashir has said that, ‘‘The Indian PM is not aware of complete reality, we can go to the UN over the Mumbai crisis.’’

Picking holes in the dossier presented by India to Pakistan’s high commissioner Shahid Malik, Bashir told the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on foreign affairs that several details in the 26/11 dossier were ‘‘not credible’’ and would not stand as evidence. Bashir also told the meeting that Pakistan will not remove its forces from the Indian border until ‘‘India relocates its troops to the peacetime locations’’.

The Centre, however, came under sharp criticism from non-Congress chief ministers including Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar, who expressed reservations over the constitution of federal agency—National Investigation Agency— and amendments to criminal laws without consultations with states. While Modi said the setting up of NIA was contrary to federal spirit and an attempt at ‘‘sidetracking’’ the states in the fight against terror, Kumar said NIA could result in ‘‘duplication’’ of agencies.

Union home minister P Chidambaram opened the conference by affirming that Indian response to terrorism cannot be reactive but has to be proactive. ‘‘It would also be necessary to put in place a clear command structure in the case of a terrorist threat or a terrorist attack. There must be no ambiguity or confusion about who is incharge,’’ he said.

Pointing out that terrorism should not be conceptualised solely in military terms, the Prime Minister while taking all measures necessary to prevent terrorist attacks, it must also be simultaneously ensured that the concept of terrorism was de-legitimised through better investigation and superior intelligence.