Tensions mounting between nuclear-armed India, Pakistan (Roundup)

Nov 29, 2008, 15:43 GMT

Islamabad - Pakistan's military officials told local media on Saturday that tensions were running high with India following the Mumbai terrorist attacks and that the upcoming days were very crucial for the region, while the country's Foreign Minister Shah Mamhood Qureshi expressed hope that the crisis would soon be overcome.

The Urdu-language Geo news channel cited unnamed officials as saying that the Indian government was escalating the situation by accusing Pakistan of involvement in the Mumbai carnage that resulted into the deaths of 183 people and left more than 300 injured.

Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee warned the Pakistani leadership by phone of serious consequences, officials speaking on condition of anonymity told a select group of journalists in Islamabad.

It has been made clear to the US and NATO that if the situation worsens along the India-Pakistan border, Pakistan would withdraw its troops from the Afghan-Pakistan border, the English-language DawnNews TV quoted officials as saying.

According to the DawnNews report, Pakistani officials said that if the situation with India was not controlled it would not be possible for Pakistan to continue the fight against terrorism.

Pakistan, a key ally in the US-led fight against terrorism, has deployed more than 120,000 soldiers in its tribal region to contain cross-border attacks of Taliban and al-Qaeda militants from its tribal region on international forces in Afghanistan.

But Pakistan's Foreign Minister, who was visiting India as the Mumbai carnage took place, denied that his Indian counterpart had sent any threats to his country.

He told reporters at a televised press conference in Islamabad that he received a called from Mukherjee when he was in India but 'his tone was not threatening. He was only requesting for cooperation.'

Qureshi admitted there were some tensions between the nuclear- armed neighbours over the issue but hoped they will 'by the grace of God overcome this hiccup in our relationship.'

India has suspected some elements within Pakistan, with some officials directly pointing the finger at Pakistan-based Islamist group Lashkar-e-Toiba (Let), of involvement in the well-coordinated attacks in India's commercial capital.

RR Patil, Home Minister of Maharashtra state of which Mumbai is the provincial capital, was quoted by the Indian PTI news agency as saying the terrorists had came from Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi.

The Pakistani foreign minister assured full support to New Delhi in a probe into the tragedy. 'Any entity or group involved in the ghastly act, the Pakistani government will proceed against it.'

In the meantime he warned: 'We should hope for the best, but we should plan for the worst.'

When asked to explain what he meant by worst Qureshi replied: 'You know what the worst is.'

Pakistan and India, two nuclear-armed southern Asian neighbors, have fought three wars during their 61 years of existence and were on the verge of a fourth in 2002.

But the tensions between them have lessened since the launch of a peace dialogue in 2004 to resolve differences over a number of issues, including Kashmir, the Himalayan region over which both lay claim.

The two countries nevertheless suffer from mutual distrust. The peace process stalls for months after almost every major terrorist attack in India by Islamic militants, who oppose reconciliation between Islamabad and New Delhi.

In an initial conciliatory approach, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday promised to send his intelligence chief to India at the request of his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, but the decision was reversed hours later.

Gilani spokesman Zahid Bashir said that instead of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Ahmed Shuja Pasha, an ISI representative would be dispatched to New Delhi to cooperate with the probe.

Bashir did not give any reason for the reversal, but many believe the decision was taken due to Pakistani public pressure.