Central security agencies on Wednesday sounded a terror alert in the country warning of groups “inimical’’ to India-Pakistan talks planning strikes to dislodge the dialogue on the sidelines of the Saarc interior ministers’ conference which began in Islamabad on Wednesday. Home minister P. Chidambaram is leaving for Islamabad on Friday to attend the conference.
Mr Chidambaram’s visit to Islamabad is critical as this will be the first visit of the home minister to Pakistan since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. The Indo-Pak talks had been suspended after Pakistani terrorists carried out the Mumbai carnage and brought Indo-Pak ties to an all-time low.
The home ministry on Wednesday issued advisories to all states warning of possible strikes and asked them to tighten security at vital installations and public places. The Indian security establishment is on its toes given the fact that the Pune blast on February 13 this year occurred just a few days after an agreement was reached between India and Pakistan to hold the high foreign secretary-level talks in New Delhi on February 25. The Opposition BJP had asked for the suspension of the bilateral talks after the Pune blast.
“Advisories have been issued to all states warning that groups inimical to Indo-Pak talks are active and may carry out strikes to cause embarrassment and damage to the Indo-Pak dialogue,” government sources said. A detailed advisory on possible terror targets in states and other vital details will follow in the next few days.
Mr Chidambaram is expected to meet Pakistan’s interior minister Rehman Malik on the sidelines of the conference reiterating India’s resolve to fight terror.
Mr Malik is expected to inform Mr Chidambaram about the latest investigations and court proceedings in that country related to 26/11. India has demanded Pakistan take action against the perpetrators of the 26/11, including the alleged mastermind Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed.
The Pune attack also failed to throw up any leads.