Prime Minister to step up pressure on Pakistan

On Board PM's Special Aircraft, Jul 16: A day ahead of lobbying with the G-8 leaders for treating terrorism ''anywhere and everywhere'' with ''zero tolerance,'' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today stepped up pressure on Pakistan to force Islamabad to ''back with action'' its committment to rein in 'jihadi' elements operating on its soil.

''Commitment has to be backed up with action on the ground,'' Dr Singh told reporters accompanying him on his three-day visit to St Petersburg, Russia to attend outreach meetings with the G8 nations US, UK, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and japan.

The Prime Minister said India's firm message to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf was that he should honour the assurance in the January 6, 2004 joint statement, under which Islamabad would not allow its territory to be used for terrorist activities aimed against India.

Clarifying that he had not talked to Gen Musharraf on phone after the July 11 blasts in Mumbai and Srinagar, Dr Singh said contacts had however been established at various levels with Pakistan. Asked whether India suspected India's hand behind the blasts, he said such a such a terrorist act on a ghastly scale was not possible ''without some external involvement. This is what I would like to say at this stage.'' Calling for finding ''new pathways'' to foster friendly relations between India and Pakistan to establish peace and stability, the Prime Minister said that the various Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) could not, however, move forward with terrorism ''aided and abetted from outside continuing to take lives of innocent citizens of India on such a massive scale.'' Both the countries had an obligation to work together, but in a democracy, there were limits to what the leadership could do in view of public sentiments, he said.

''It is a solemn obligation of Pakistan to honour its commitment as given in January 6, 2006 joint statement,'' he said.

Responding to a reporter who wanted to know whether there was a change in Gen Musharraf in the past two years, Dr Singh said ''there is a learning process. Gen Musharraf is President of pakistan. We have to deal with people in the government. Therefore, I would not like to use harsh words.''

UNI