RAJYA SABHA
Reports indicate
presence of Al-Qaeda elements in Pakistan and POK. Reports further
indicate that the international coalition against terrorism
is currently also engaged in locating these elements in Pakistan.
There have been statements by Pakistani officials claiming that
Pakistan had asked the US military not to enter its territory
without permission in pursuit of Al Qaida and Taliban fugitives
fleeing from parts of Afghanistan into Pakistan.
Despite its
own commitments and international obligations, Pakistan has
not dismantled the terrorist infrastructure in its territory
or territories under its control, although some camps were temporarily
shifted or relocated in interior areas during June-August, 2002.
Many of these camps have since been reactivated. There is no
indication that Pakistan has reduced or stopped its support
to terrorism.
Government
are firmly resolved to take all necessary measures to defeat
Pakistan's sponsorship of cross-border terrorism and preserve
the security and territorial integrity of the country. Government
have also made it clear that there can be no dialogue with Pakistan
until its sponsorship and support for cross border terrorism
is ended. Attention of the international community has also
been drawn to the dangers posed by Pakistan being the epicentre
of international terrorism. Many countries have called upon
Pakistan to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism in that
country and to stop being a platform for international terrorism.
This information
was given by the Minister of State for External Affairs Shri
Digvijay Singh in reply to a question by Shri Rajkumar Dhoot
in the Rajya Sabha today.
