India to Recall Ambassador, Terminate Rail, Road Links With Pakistan
The Associated Press
Published: Dec 21, 2001
NEW DELHI, India (AP) - India said on Friday it is recalling its ambassador from Pakistan and terminating rail and bus services between the nations, as relations worsened following a suicide attack on Parliament that India blames on Pakistan-based militants.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Nirupama Rao said the actions would take effect Jan. 1. There was no immediate indication whether India's action was intended as a definitive break in diplomatic ties and Rao did not say for how long the ambassador would be recalled.
"Since the Dec. 13 attack on Parliament, we have seen no attempt on the part of Pakistan to take action against the organizations involved," Rao told a press conference.
She reiterated that India has asked Pakistan's government shut down two Islamic militant organizations India has accused of carrying out the attack that killed eight people, as well as the five assailants.
India has demanded Pakistan arrest of leaders of the two groups - Lafhkar-e-Tayyaba and Jaish-e-Mohammed - and freeze their assets.
Both groups have denied involvement in the attack. Pakistan has rejected India's accusations that its intelligence service supported the attack and said it would take no action until India supplies proof.
Leaders of the two countries are scheduled to attend a summit of South Asian nations in Nepal on Jan. 4-6, and both governments had indicated until Friday that the meeting was still on.
Since gaining independence from Britain in 1947, Pakistan and India have fought two wars over the Himalayan province of Kashmir, which is divided between them.
Hindu-majority India accuses Pakistan of fomenting 12 years of Islamic militant violence in India's only Muslim-majority state. Pakistan denies the charge.
The insurgency has killed at least 30,000 people, according to Indian government estimates. Human rights groups put the number at 60,000 people.
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