India threatens war with Pakistan over New Delhi attack

Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has threatened to declare war on Pakistan following an attack on the parliament building in New Delhi last week.

However, Vajpayee said he will first try to find a peaceful solution to the ongoing enmity with Pakistan, who he has accused of orchestrating the attack.

Pakistan has denied the allegations. India has long accused Pakistan of harbouring “terrorists” fighting for independence in the mainly Muslim province of Kashmir.

India and Pakistan have already fought three wars since 1947 over Kashmir, which is currently divided between both sides along a tentative ceasefire line.

Despite the ceasefire, India has moved tanks to the border since last week’s attack and admitted that it destroyed six Pakistani army bunkers during a battle today.

India has demanded that Pakistan take action against two Kashmiri militant groups based in Pakistan, but Pakistan has refused to take any action until India produces proof of their involvement in last week’s attack.

India and Pakistan, both of whom have nuclear weapons, have been enemies

since they won independence from Britain in 1947. They regularly exchange

fire across the Kashmir ceasefire line, but most analysts believe neither

would start another war. In October, after Islamic militants killed 40

people in an attack on the Kashmir parliament building, India bombarded

Pakistani positions for hours in the most intense fighting for years. With

the US setting an example by attacking Islamic groups in Afghanistan, India

has hinted that it may declare its own “war on terrorism”, a move that could

potentially lead to nuclear conflict and further instability in the Middle

East.