Pak failing miserably in controlling terrorism: India

NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday said that Pakistan was failing miserably in controlling terrorism by categorising terrorists as "good" and "bad" and that it needed to deal with the terror issue in an evenhanded manner.

"Pakistan is failing miserably and they are trying to say that there are good terrorists and there are bad terrorists, which is wrong.

"I think they have to deal with an entire spectrum of terrorism in an evenhanded manner," minister of state for Defence M M Pallam Raju told reporters here on the sidelines of a seminar.

The minister was responding to queries on whether Pakistan was doing enough to control terrorism emanating from its territory.

He added that it was time the "military industrial complex and power centres" in Pakistan realised that terrorism fostered by them was affecting them as much it was affecting India and hoped that Islamabad would act responsibly in future.

Asked why India will continue talks with Pakistan if the western neighbour was still involved in terror-related activities, Raju said, "It is important that dialogue is continued with neighbours in the interest of the neighbourhood and the region.

"India in the interest of the region, will try to have a channel open for dialogue because that is the only way to settle matters and bring some responsible rule in the neighbourhood."

On the threat issued to the Commonwealth Games by Pakistan-based Al-Qaeda terrorist Illyas Kashmiri, Raju said, "We will not be cowed down by any such threats, we know how to prepare and we know how to prepare for any eventuality. India will make a big success of the commonwealth."

Reacting to queries on the progress made in the Pune blast probe, he said, "I think whatever information is available will be processed and appropriate action will be taken.

Elaborating India's role as a stabilising factor in the region, Raju said, "We have invested $1.2 billion in the Afghanistan re-building process and we share a lot of information with our neighbours to bring stability and fight terrorism in our neighbourhood."

On the new opportunities in India's defence sector, Raju said the 10 offset contracts worth over Rs 8,200 crore have already been signed and the country was looking at Rs 49,000 crore-worth such contracts in the next couple of years.

He added that India needed a close partnership between public and private sectors to develop a modern defence industry here.