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Singh says Delhi wants to resolve all issues: Pakistan has nothing to fear from India

* Indian PM says New Delhi concerned over rise of terrorism in Pakistan * Al-Qaeda, terrorists have hold over several parts of Pakistan

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: Pakistan has nothing to fear from India, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Friday.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Singh said, “It’s a tragedy that Pakistan has come to the point of using terror as an instrument of state policy.”

Assessing the situation in Pakistan, Singh said India was concerned about the rise of terrorism in the country, adding that New Delhi had been the victims of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism for a long time.

He said if the Taliban and Al Qaeda type of terror got transferred to the mainland of Pakistan from FATA, it would have very serious consequences for India.

“We would not like terrorism to lead to a situation where the civilian government is only a nominal government.”

Asked whether that was the situation now, the Indian prime minister said, “I’m not saying that’s the situation now. But obviously Al Qaeda and the terrorists have a grip over several parts of Pakistan.” To another question, Singh said Pakistan would like Afghanistan to be under its control. “And they would like the US to get out soon,” adding that the US objectives were to get Pakistan to deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

“But I don’t see Pakistan wholeheartedly in support of action against the Taliban in Afghanistan,” he said, adding that Islamabad was taking action against the Taliban only when it threatened the supremacy of the army.

Singh said India was committed to resolving all the outstanding issues with Pakistan through bilateral negotiations. “Our only condition is that Pakistan should not allow its territory to be used for acts of terrorism against India,” he said. About the Mumbai massacre, he said, “[Pakistan] has taken some steps but not enough.”

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