Terrorist outfits still operate from Pakistan's soil, says ex-Pakistani envoy to India

Wagha Border, Oct 1(ANI): Former Pakistan High Commissioner to India, Humayun Khan, on Thursday said that terrorist networks are still operating from Pakistan's soil and contended that it has been unable to root them out completely.

Khan was speaking to the media persons at the Wagah border post in Punjab on Thursday.

He is in India as a part of eight-member team to attend the 150th anniversary of the Bishop Cotton School in Shimla. An alumnus of the school, Khan and other seven members will be in Shimla for a couple of days to attend the week-long celebrations at their alma mater.

"Terrorism has created a lot of problems. Our misfortune is that many terrorist centres are still operating from our soil, in tribal areas and elsewhere. Whatever they do, we are blamed for their actions. This is the biggest problem of today's time," said Humayun Khan.

"Any incident related to terrorism - for instance the attack in Mumbai last year, they generally say that Pakistan is not doing anything to control this. I hope there is an understanding that terrorism is the enemy of both countries. We should fight it together. This is how we can improve the situation," Khan added.

He also admitted that Pakistan had patronised terrorist outfits in the past and this policy has now boomeranged.

"I am ready to accept that there were some agencies in the Government that used to patronise them (terrorists). The time has changed. They have turned against us. Our agencies have failed to weed them out completely. In my opinion, now they (terrorists) don't work on government agencies orders," Khan said.

"Now, they are acting on their own will. May be we failed to control them completely. But, you know eliminating terrorism is ot an easy thing. We are the biggest victims of this. Every day, people in Pakistan are dying because of blasts and attacks. To an xtent its Government's fault how they failed to control it," he added. (ANI)