Indian embassy comments on dispute

The Indian embassy in Baku has made a press release following the news conference of Pakistani ambassador to Azerbaijan. Below are the excerpts from the release.

India has consistently been in the forefront of the world's struggle against terrorism.

India has been a victim of terrorism from across the border for over two decades, much before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York and Washington. More than 70,000 lives of innocent people have been lost in terrorist acts in India.

India condemns terrorist acts committed in any form and in any part of the world and has been playing an active role at the world fora in the fight against terrorism.

India believes that there should not be double standards in an assessment of the dangers of terrorism.

India feels that with the current international consensus on the bane of international terrorism, the time is ripe to cut the roots of all forms of terrorism. Regrettably, Pakistan has failed to understand the seriousness of the problem and has not taken the necessary concrete steps to render ineffective the terrorist outfits operating from its territories against India.

The involvement of the terrorist organizations Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, operating from the territory of Pakistan, in the most recent heinous attack on the Indian parliament has been proven beyond doubt. Other countries of the world who are members of the international consensus also share the perception about the nature of these terrorist organizations and the need to bring an end to their activities.

The government of India has made efforts to resolve bilateral problems with Pakistan in a peaceful and constructive manner.

The absence of constructive response from Pakistan has rendered India's efforts fruitless. In the wake of the recent terrorist incidents, India has reiterated that it would use all possible means to protect its national interest. The withdrawal of our ambassador from Islamabad is a reflection of the prevailing situation in which headway is not being made in the absence of suitable action by the Pakistan authorities. The government of India awaits firm and concrete steps by the Pakistan government to curb the activities of the terrorist outfits based there.