Washington, Oct 24: Noting that there is no evidence of Islamabad stopping cross-border terrorism in Kashmir, a US Congressional body has described the India-Pakistan peace initiative as 'moribund'. In an update of its report on the two countries, the Congressional Research Studies also said despite Pakistan's assertion that it has arrested those responsible for terrorism and claim to have broken the al-Qaeda network, the international terrorist outfit's and Taliban fugitives are numerous in the country and may have re-established their organisations in Karachi and Peshwar. Islamabad, the CRS points out, under continuous international pressure to stop infiltration across the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, promised to US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage that all such movements would cease. "After confirmations from both US and Indian government officials that infiltration was down significantly in the summer of 2002, the rate reportedly rose again in the autumn and, in July 2003, the US envoy to New Delhi declared that there are still terrorists coming across the LoC," the report says. In May, 2003, Islamabad pledged to Armitage during his visit that any existing terrorist camps would be dismantled and President Pervez Musharraf insisted he was doing everything to shut down militant camp in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

Bureau Report