'Pakistan may raise with US India's alleged role of fomenting unrest'

Islamabad: Pakistan is expected to discuss with the US the alleged role of India's external spy agency RAW in abetting violence in the country during Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry's meetings with top Obama administration officials, a media report said on Monday.

The decision to raise the matter with the US was taken after a series of allegations by top Pakistani leaders against RAW's support for militancy, The Express Tribune reported.

Chaudhry, who left for the US over the weekend, is expected to share with US officials evidence of RAW's increasing involvement in "stoking terrorism" in Pakistan, it said.

India has always rejected such allegations by Pakistan. Chaudhry will lead a Pakistani delegation at an important meeting of the working group under the Pakistan-US Strategic Dialogue in Washington.

The talks would focus on bilateral relations, as well as issues related to arms control, nuclear non-proliferation and international security. The meeting is a part of the on-going Strategic Dialogue between the two countries.

The top diplomat is also scheduled to meet senior US officials during his stay in Washington. The paper quoted officials saying that Chaudhry was given a 'brief' by the government to inform the Obama administration about the alleged involvement of India in fomenting unrest in Pakistan, the report said.

He is also expected to raise the issue of recent statements given by India's Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in which he called for "neutralising terrorists through terrorists".

Islamabad says such controversial statements confirmed its fears that Indian secret agencies were involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Prime Minister's Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz also indicated yesterday that Pakistan would "expose India at the international level for stoking unrest in the country".

Speaking at a function organised by Nazria Pakistan Council, Aziz made it clear that Pakistan would not allow its enemies to undermine the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor.

India has raised concern over the project as it goes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He also insisted that the Indian ambition for "hegemony" in the region would not be allowed to succeed.

Aziz said that Pakistan's nuclear explosions in 1998 had "shattered India's dream" to establish its hegemony in the South Asian region.