Coming down heavily on Pakistan in the wake of Mumbai serial blasts, a top US lawmaker has said Islamabad's failure to live up to its promise to reign in terror outfits is threatening the peace process with India.

Frank Pallone, a House of Representatives member and founder of caucus on India and Indian Americans, also said that Pakistan still lacked appropriate laws to deter terrorist cells from "looming and growing within their borders". "Pakistan's failure to rein in terrorist organizations operating within its borders is threatening the peace process. Despite having vowed in 2004 not to allow any part of the territory under its control be used by groups such as LeT, Pakistan has simply watched while terrorist attacks took place in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country," he said.

The Democrat lawmaker from New Jersey said all available leads were pointing towards the involvement of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the deadly blasts in Mumbai suburban trains, which killed over 200 people and injured over 700, on July 11.

"All leads are now pointing to the involvement of LeT, a terrorist organization that has received support from Pakistan's inter-services intelligence. LeT is a group active in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Although the group is outlawed in Pakistan, it continues to function under other guises.

In fact, their leader Hafiz Muhammad Saeed enjoys freedom in Pakistan despite this official ban on his organizations," Pallone said in the House of Representatives.

Offering condolences to the families of the victims of the last week's terror attack, Pallone said that "although slow moving, the peace process between India and Pakistan was promising and I'm afraid that Pakistan now stands in the way of further progress".

Terming the attacks as "senseless acts of terrorism and violence", he said Islamabad has "unfortunately" not proven its commitment against terrorism as India and the United States did.

"India has made a strong commitment to fighting terrorism in all its forms. Like the US, nothing has deterred their firm policy to fight this regional and global menace. Unfortunately, Pakistan has not proven this same commitment.

"The government still lacks the appropriate law and order that is necessary to deter terrorist cells from looming and growing within their borders," he added. Arguing that Pakistan must demonstrate their commitment to the global war on terrorism, he said Islamabad should live up to its end of the bargain and control violence.

"Otherwise, it will become exceedingly difficult for India to sustain the peace initiative," the lawmaker argued. On the resilience displayed by the people of India, he said the people of Mumbai and Jammu and Kashmir have demonstrated very strongly against terrorism.

"My only hope is that these attacks strengthen the resolve of the government of Pakistan in combating Islamic terrorism. Pakistan must not let Islamic extremism undermine the peace process," Pallone said.

Courtesy: www.financialexpress.com, July 19, 2006

Back to up