“We are not involved in troop build up along border”- India tells Pakistan
New Delhi – 28.12.08 – India informed Pakistan that it is not building up any troop along the borders while demanding firm action against terrorists operating from their soil by Pakistan. 
“We are not involved in troop building along the borders”, sources from the defense ministry said. “We had no plans for a military action, but we want a combination of executive action and judicial process against terrorist elements like the Lashker-e-Toiba and Jamaat-ud-Dawah since both is linked to Mumbai attacks”, he added.
The High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal was attending in a meeting with the Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Salman Bashir in Islamabad when the said message came up. Manpreet Vohra, the Deputy High Commissioner was also present in the said meeting.
On their part, Pakistan says that any strike by India in response to the attacks on Mumbai shall be considered as an “act of war”.
There was “no reason for the war hysteria” that is witnessed in Pakistan, was the response of Indian officials. They made it amply clear that New Delhi had no such plans for military attack on Pakistan.
“Words and commitments were not adequate in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks, which were just a symptom of the longer problem of terrorists operating from the Pakistani soil”, they commented. “There is a need for firm action against such elements. We don’t see the shutting down of terrorist camps. Armed militants with guns are still moving around and terrorist camps are still operational”, said the Indian officials.
Shutting down terrorist camps and placing a clamp on the terrorist activities originating from Pakistani soil, especially in the Pakistani occupied Kashmir requires executive action on the part of the Pakistani regime. Action taken in this line will be compliance to the UN Security Council resolution seeking action against militant and terrorist groups.
Mohammad Sadiq, the Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman said that there was need for India taking steps to defuse tensions. They are reportedly waiting for India’s response to their proposal for dealing with the fallout of Mumbai incident.
India, however, is waiting for more action by Pakistani authorities against the militants before proceeding with response to such proposals, defense sources informs.
In the meanwhile the Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said that Pakistan will not initiate face-off with India but is prepared to defend itself from aggression on the occasion of the first anniversary of the murder of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
It is however difficult to believe that such stand taken by Pakistan would be appreciated either by India or a critical world as the country is time and again falling short of its commitment of combating and erasing terrorist elements.
Tension along the border could cause distress to both Pakistan and India, says Gillani
Islamabad – 24.12.06 – Just as news fluttered everywhere on the alleged violation of Indian borders by Pak war planes, Premier Yousuf Raza Gillani comes up with a statement that neither of the countries can afford tension along the border.
“Nobody wants tensions on the borders and we are moving responsibly and with caution,” Gilani told press people who met him in a ceremony at Islamabad.
In the same vein he did not forget to point out that the war preparedness has reached an optimal level in Pakistan and it is prepared for any eventuality. He claimed that the entire nation backs its army at this crucial moment in the history of Pakistan with a vow to maintain the sovereignty and integrity of the country.
Good relationship with India could only be possible with mutual respect, said Gillani. “The Government is aware of the situation in the region and will act as things move”, he continued. At the same time he also blamed certain elements who were trying to foment tension between the two countries with highly motivated publicity of having “so called” evidences that Mumbai attack organizers hail from Pakistan.
Whatever he says, recent incidents narrate a different story. Pakistani warplanes have been conducting regular surveys over the strategic cities and habitations in the wake or mounting tension and possibility of war looming large.
It could well be a last minute attempt by the Pakistani leaders to escape the mounting international pressure for action against the terrorists rooted there. India on the other hand has been consistently insisting on having handed over all the evidences against the suspects to the Pakistan Government. The Indian Defense Minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee’s statement contained no ambiguous terms when he said that Pakistan was given all the evidences required but they are not taking any action. “If they won’t, we will” he categorically said.
Unfortunately, war is an evil and the burnt is borne by the innocent mass that neither has any involvement with terrorism nor with armed combats. Loss to them in consequence of any war is always heavy. One can only hope that the Pakistani leaders would see reason and take action to uproot the terrorism blooming across from their own land.
Shariff’s remarks on Kasab irritates Pak Rulers
Islamabad – 20.12.08 Pakistan Government has taken a strong exception to the remarks made by former Premier Nawaz Shariff against the attempts to “cordon off” the village of Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist who was captured during the Mumbai Massacre in November this year.
Remarks of Shariff came at a time when Pakistan is facing criticism and pressure from even its strong ally USA who has been repeatedly asking them to put an end to all acts of terrorism that many believe originates there.
“It is unfortunate that the leadership of a major political party, which we want to work with rebuilding democracy and overcoming challenges, chooses a sensitive time to launch an attack on the government when the country needs national unity and consensus”, remarks Sherry Rehman, the Information Minister of Pakistan.
While the Pakistan Government and its security agencies have been relentlessly denying all suggestions that Kasba, the terrorist hails from Pakistan, the remarks of Nawazz Shariif comes as sort of political setback for them. Incidentally, Shariff’s was the lone voice opposing the attempts of Pakistani security agencies to “cordon off” and preventing entrance of bar media to Faridkot village in Punjab, allegedly the residence of Kasab.
Nawaaz Shariff did not stop at only opposing the attempts to “cordon off” the village but also said that Pakistan should first put its own house in order.
With the tension rising high between India and Pakistan on the wake of all round blames for Mumbai attacks on Lashkar-e=Toiba (LeT), Minister Rehman took a somewhat softer stance saying “We don’t want to trade in a war of words as that will not benefit our citizens, who seek stability and maturity from their leadership right now.”
Whatever may the leaders in Pakistan say, the remarks of the former Premier puts a big question mark on their credibility and professed denouncement of terrorism. It is therefore quite expected that the political leadership in Islamabad will try to give the remarks of the former Premier a political color of the natural tricks played by the opposition in a democratic political set up.
Face saving in the international level would be an altogether different proposition and it remains to be seen what strategies Islamabad would adopt now.