India says attacks rising, urges Pakistan to do more

INDIA: India's national security adviser said on Sunday violence by Pakistan-based Islamist militant groups was on the rise across India and their targets were becoming very high profile.

The groups, fighting Indian rule in the disputed region of Kashmir, are also increasingly focusing on targets outside the rebellion-wracked territory. M.K. Narayanan's remarks come in the wake of resurgent violence in Kashmir, several arms and explosives hauls around the commercial hub of Mumbai and a foiled attack by Islamist militants on the headquarters of a powerful Hindu nationalist group last week.

"I think the scale of attacks, more particularly the attacks that are taking place outside Jammu and Kashmir, has gone up very substantially," Narayanan told Indian TV channel Times Now in an interview.

"The targets are becoming extremely high profile, targets which if they do succeed (in hitting) could lead to major violence across the country," he said, without elaborating.

"Far from militancy having come down I think it is on the increase."

Narayanan said Islamabad needed to do more to curb terrorism on Indian soil, saying New Delhi was facing a situation that was "far from comfortable". Pakistan denies supporting militants who cross into India to carry out attacks. "I think Pakistan certainly could do much more to check terrorism, much of which is emanating from across the border," Narayanan added.

Mumbai, Monday, Reuters