Pakistan, India trade terror charges

Pakistan and India are charging each other with sponsoring terrorism.

India's foreign ministry wants the international community to pressure Pakistan to act on its promise to fight terror groups, while the Pakistani foreign ministry has responded by charging India with sponsoring terror.

"Terrorism is a regional and global issue. In fact, India must explain its own conduct in sponsoring and abetting terrorism and militancy in our region," Pakistan's accusation states.

In an interview, Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Nadeem Kiani asserted India openly supports terrorism.

"We know and the U.S. government knows that there are certain networks which are operating in Pakistan, especially in the provinces of Baluchistan and Bundia. There, terrorist acts are being done," Kiani said.

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"The government of Pakistan has evidence of some involvement or the abetment of Indian authorities in Afghanistan. The Pakistan government does have evidence of India's involvement in Afghanistan and territories in Pakistan."

Vaidyanantha Gundlupet, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, disputes the assessment.

"Other than Pakistani statements, there is little to support the claim that India is supporting terrorists in the region," he said.

Aaron Mannes of CounterterrorismBlog.org contends Pakistan is a major culprit in aiding terrorists.

"India accepts the current border with Pakistan. Pakistan does not and has sponsored a number of terrorist groups including Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad and others to fight on its behalf in Kashmir. Many of these groups have direct and indirect links with al-Qaida," he said.

He added Pakistan is a major supplier of other terror groups.

"The exact relationship between the jihadis and the government of Pakistan is not clear. At some points in the past the Pakistani government was providing extensive support – now they may simply be turning a blind eye or they may not be capable of cracking down.

"Different elements of the Pakistani government may take different stances towards the Islamist terror groups operating in Pakistan. However, some of these groups, particularly Lashkar-e-Toiba, have launched very deadly attacks in India such as last year's Mumbai shootings and the 2006 Mumbai commuter rail bombings," Mannes explained.

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Wilson International Center analyst Bhumitra Chakma says both sides are guilty.

"The line is very thin to differentiate between terrorism and other armed
activities in South Asia. Both the countries have waged proxy wars
against each other over the decades," Chakma said.

"India supports and supported Baluch movement, (Chittagong Hill Tracts) insurgents (Bangladesh) and Pakistan supports and supported Kashmiri militants, northeast India's insurgency groups and others," Chakma concluded.

Mannes agrees that India has supported the Baluchi movement.

"India has reportedly encouraged Baluchi separatists in Pakistan," he said. "But this is a lower level of activity than that of Pakistan."

Chakma said the bulk of the armed activity in the region is Pakistan's responsibility.

"Most importantly, Pakistan's (Inter-Services Intelligence) raised a number of groups, i.e., Afghan Taliban. Given this, it is difficult to tell which country is supporting terrorism. But if one follows the U.S. State Department's definition of terrorism, perhaps Pakistan supports terrorism more than India."

The Belfer Center's Gundlupet disagrees, saying Pakistan is taking terrorism seriously.

"Pakistan is definitely taking some of the terrorist threat seriously and fighting the same. However, it remains to be seen whether Pakistan is targeting all terrorists," he explains. "Pakistan is focusing on fighting those groups (like Pakistan Taliban) who pose threat to its security and not doing much to subdue terrorists fighting NATO forces in Afghanistan. It is doing even less to stop terrorists' groups supporting terrorism in India."

The Wilson Center's Chakma said the region's volatile nature and the United States' interests explain a lot of what's happening there.

"Both are fighting terrorism in their own terms as both face challenges of terrorism. India is more supportive to the USA to fight terrorism, but America needs Pakistan more than India in fighting terrorism."

The Indian embassy in Washington and the foreign minister's office did not respond to requests for interviews.