New Delhi, December 25
India’s High Commissioner to Pakistan Vijay K Nambiar, who arrived here today after government’s decision to recall him from Islamabad, said New Delhi would have to think of diplomatic and “other steps” if Pakistan failed to rein in terrorist outfits operating from its soil.

“If Pakistan demonstrates seriousness, it will help avoid a grave situation. If the seriousness is not shown, India will have to look for alternative means”. He, however, refused to elaborate on the “other steps” being contemplated by India.

Expressing dissatisfaction over steps taken by the Pervez Musharraf government against terrorist organisations, he said these “need to go beyond.”

Taking note of “certain steps” taken by Islamabad against groups based in Pakistan, Mr Nambiar said these do not seem to be having the required credibility.

India has demanded “specific action” and it wants to see that the terrorist organisations are “really rendered ineffective.”

Asked about Pakistan freezing the assets of some terrorist outfits, Mr Nambiar said steps so far taken do not register the amount of credibility that India wanted. “We want these organisations to be really rendered ineffective.”

Pakistan yesterday announced the freezing of the assets of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar.

The recalled High Commissioner said during his interaction with the Pakistani authorities, he had explained New Delhi’s fears that Islamabad’s failure to crack down on terrorist outfits could “lead to an aggravation of the situation.”

He said India had conveyed to Pakistan its concerns about Lashkar-e-Toiba and other terrorist groups. “If there is only change of name and otherwise these groups are functional, it does not serve the purpose,” he said, hoping that Pakistan will respond properly.

To a question, Mr Nambiar said Pakistan had mentioned that it was serious in cracking down on terrorist outfits but it had to be seen how the intention matched India’s requirement.

“At present it does not seem to be meeting our requirement,” he said.

Asked whether there was need for India to provide evidence about terrorist groups as has been demanded by Pakistan, Nambiar denied its necessity.

He said already lot of evidence was in the public domain and a number of countries had been provided evidence.

On his recall, he said the intention behind the action was to establish the “seriousness” of the situation created by the December 13 incident. “But that enormity is not fully registered in the concerned quarters in Pakistan,” he said.

About the current situation in Pakistan, he said there was apprehension in public about war but the press suggested against its likelihood.