PM gets tough

MUMBAI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, after holding Pakistan responsible for Tuesday’s terror attacks, indicated that the ongoing peace process with the neighbouring country might be frozen till it dismantled terror networks.

Addressing mediapersons after ending his two-hour long Mumbai visit, during which he meet the blast victims, Mr Singh on Friday said that the serial blasts in Mumbai were carried out by terrorists with support from across the border. “It would be exceedingly difficult to carry forward the peace process with Pakistan if it did not control terrorist elements operating from its territory,” he said.

This is for the first time since Tuesday’s serial blasts killed 200 people, that the PM, though obliquely, pointed a finger at Pakistan. “I have explained it to the government of Pakistan at the highest level that if the acts of terrorism are not controlled, it is exceedingly difficult for any government to carry forward what may be called as normalisation and peace process,” he said.

Mr Singh refrained from naming any particular country, but was forthcoming on the issue more than usual. “We are also certain that these terror modules are instigated, inspired and supported by elements across the border without which they can’t act with such devastating effects,” he said.

Asked whether talks on confidence-building measures with Pakistan will continue, Mr Singh said, “Pakistan, in ‘04, had solemnly given us an assurance that Pakistani territory would not be used to promote, encourage, help and abet terrorist elements directed against India.” “That assurance has to be fulfilled before the peace process or other processes to make progress,” he added.

When asked whether India would demand labelling Pakistan as a “terrorist state”, Mr Singh promised to raise international pressure by talking to the international community. Noting that the terrorists were intending to destroy India’s economic strength, unity and communal harmony, he asserted, “We can’t allow this to happen.”

The Prime Minister assured that the government would take all possible efforts to book the guilty. “We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that terrorist elements in India are neutralised and smashed. This requires sustained action and pressure by the Centre and state governments and the co-operation of various elements of civil society,” Mr Singh said.