With no serious attempts being made by Pakistan to dismantle the terror infrastructure, defence minister AK Antony has asked Pakistan to book those who gave ??inspiration, direction and support?? to the terrorists who staged the Mumbai terror attacks.
A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh charged Pakistan with using terrorism as ??state policy??, sending a tough message to that country, Antony said ??we will do everything to prevent?? such attacks.
??There is no serious attempt to dismantle terror outfits working across the border. This is our major worry,?? the defence minister told the mediapersons on the sidelines of a function. ??We will examine all the available, possible options,?? he added.
The minister expressed New Delhi?s apprehensions of increase in infiltration from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir in the coming summer season. ??Even in winters militants have infiltrated into J&K and will step up infiltration from now. Summers will see heightened infiltration. So armed forces should remain vigilant,?? he said.
??There are two things. Those persons who gave inspiration, direction and support (to the terrorists in 26/11 attack) should be booked. Secondly, over 30 terror outfits are active across the border and to dismantle them is the duty of the (Pakistani) government,?? Antony told the mediapersons.
According to the defence minister, India has not set any time limit for Pakistan (to dismantle terror infrastructure). However, it expected the world to react on the evidences that was shared with them on the Mumbai attacks.
“We have some evidence. Not only India, even some other countries have some evidence. We have shared these with other countries. The world has to react to these evidences. I hope the world will react,” he said.
On Tuesday India turned the heat on Pakistan, with the PM not mincing words in holding the Pakistan government complicit in the Mumbai terror attack. He said there was “enough evidence to show” that Pakistani official agencies had supported the terror strike on Nov 26 in which “10 Pakistani terrorists… came by sea from Karachi”.
The defence minister also met Indian Army chief Gen Deepak Kapoor against the backdrop of a fierce gun battle in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir that entered its seventh day.
Responding to a query about the security forces’ operation against holed-up militants in Poonch, the minister said he had discussed it with the three Services chiefs in the morning and they were sure of flushing out the militants soon.
To another question, he said the armed forces had a plan and had worked out a strategy against the holed-up militants, but the basis approach was to minimise casualty within the security forces’ ranks.
According to the minister, the operation is taking time, as the effort is to ensure “minimum” casualties among army personnel.
On the day’s meeting of the Kendriya Sainik Welfare Board, Antony said it was decided to provide re-employment training to all the 60,000 armed forces personnel, who retired from service at a very young age annually, to improve the career opportunities in both the private and public sector.