NEW DELH: The Ministries of Home and Defense as well as the intelligence agencies are up in arms against what they perceive as a “soft line” towards Pakistan being pursued by the ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
They are pressing for a “fresh look” at the way India is dealing with Pakistan at the diplomatic level and want the South Block to be active” in tackling Pakistan instead of the present attitude which is considered reactive.
The frustration within the country’s security establishment over MEA’s soft line has come out in the open following last week’s sensational seizure of an arms consignment brought in from Pakistan right here in the national capital on Channel.
In an interview given to New Delhi wore made poles the Union Home Secretary, Mr.K. Padmanabhaiah, warned of a “change in the dimensions of cross border militant” activities he bluntly said.
Mr, Padmanabhiah was equally can did at the press conference on 18, where the seizure of 361 pistols in New Delhi was announced. “The Pakistani origin of the arms, the use of foreigners, the road shipments the confession of (Mohammed Hassan) Phadar to having brought in arms ‘in the past all this requires a ‘careful relook at our approach to the problem and to Pakistan.”
“We should stop being on the defensive. We need to be proactive, what form this will take, what the relook will be, it is not for me to say.” Mr. Padmanabhaiah added, making it clear that what is needed is a reassessment of the Pakistan policy at the diplomatic level.
Although the sudden pressure on MEA for a fresh look at its Pakistan policy has been triggered by last week’s arms discovery and the seizure of 59 pistols from four Pakistani nationals in New Delhi on February 4 highly places sources in the Government said that frustration over South Block’s attitude has been building up.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 28, 1996
