India flays Gen on infiltration issue

India today lashed out at Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for his assertion that he had not given any timeframe to the international community on stopping infiltration across the LoC in J and K, saying this meant that Islamabad would continue to use terrorism as an instrument of state policy.

Lashing out at Musharraf, MEA spokesperson Nirupama Rao said ‘‘His statement suggests he will end infiltration only when it is opportune; in other words, Pakistan will continue to use terrorism as an instrument of state policy.’’

‘‘We cannot fail to note that his declaration that he has not given a time frame to stopping infiltration across the LoC comes after the visit of US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to Islamabad,’’ she observed.

She said Musharraf, ‘‘continues to play with contradictions by, on the one hand, saying there is nothing happening across the LoC and, on the other hand, admitting that infiltration continues by what he describes as ‘rogue militants’.’’