AMMAN, July 11, Reuter: Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi attacked Pakistan on Mon day for what he called its support of “terrorism” in India and criticized its nuclear program.
“The problem creating most tension is Pakistan’s support for ‘terrorism’ in India”, Gandhi told Jordanian newspaper editors.
“We have very hard evidence that shows very clearly how deeply they are involved”, he said.
Gandhi, making the first visit to Jordan by an Indian Prime Minister, said his government had handed details of Pakistan’s alleged involvement in “terrorism” to the Pakistani government.
He said India had given to Islamabad a list of suspected “terrorists” harboring in Pakistan and demanded that action be taken against them or that they be handed over to India.
“We have seen no movement on that… We have seen in action that they are just not willing to act”, he said, comparing India’s and Pakistan’s records of dealing with air hijackings involving the two countries in recent years.
Gandhi said India was also troubled by Pakistan’s nuclear program. “We feel this is getting very close to nuclear weapons and that will cause a tremendous rise in tension in the region… We see no need for it because there isn’t another nuclear weapon in the region”.
Pakistan had denied it intends to develop nuclear weapons cap ability and says its program is for peaceful purposes.
“Anyone who starts the game knows that in all likelihood it can escalate and it would be very difficult to keep under control”, Gandhi said.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 15, 1988
