The comment came in the light of the signing of BIPPA (Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement) between Nepal and India during the visit of Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai to New Delhi last month.[break]
Asked whether an increase in Indian investment will be seen in Nepal in coming days as a consequence of BIPPA, the senior leader said, “We want to further strengthen the relation with Nepal for the betterment of the two countries.”
Abdullah, however, added that democracy in Nepal should be sustained at any cost. “We must see to it that Nepal survives as a democracy first,” he added.
Abdullah is the chief of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference.
LeT pointed as a regional threat
Earlier, releasing the book, “Caliphate Soldiers: The Lashkar-e-Taiba´s Long War” at the Observer Research Foundation in Delhi on Thursday, Abdullah warned against the alarming threat of terrorism in the region and the world at large.
“We are passing through an extremely dangerous stage,” adding, “We don´t hate Pakistan but we want a democratic Pakistan.”
Urging the West to take action against the terrorist outfits in Pakistan, he said, “If the world has to survive, we have to join hands to completely destroy terror networks of organizations like the Lashkar-e-Taiba”, adding, “We have to take decisive steps to get rid of terrorism.”
The book authored by Wilson John, an expert on Pakistan and South Asia, and published by Amaryllis, is based on the premise that Lashkar-e-Taiba presents a potent threat to the region. Speaking about the book, John said, “The book is an attempt to look at the terror infrastructure of LeT and how deeply it is encouraging people by its political activism and charity work,” adding, “The Let´s links with the Pakistan Army and its intelligence agency, the ISI, is most worrisome for India.”
In his book, John has in detail written about LeT´s global recruitment campaign, its strong fund raising activities and networks, which is mainly coming from the Saudi Arabia and UAE.
LeT was accused by India of masterminding and executing the Mumbai attacks of 2008 that left 164 people dead and over 300 injured.
On November 26, 2008, a group of eight terrorists attacked India´s business capital and entered five star hotels where they held hotel guests as hostages. Ajmal Kasab was the only attacker captured alive and convicted later. The attacks, which drew widespread global condemnation, lasted till November 29.
Eight of the attacks occurred in South Mumbai , the Oberoi Trident, Cama Hospital Jewish community centre, the Metro Cinema, and a lane behind the Times of India building and St. Xavier´s College. There was also an explosion at Mazagaon.
Kasab had disclosed during interrogation that the attackers were members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a militant organization, considered a terrorist organization by India, Pakistan, the US, the UK, and the UN.
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