India dismisses Pak charge of hand in Baloch unrest

COIMBATORE: India has rejected as "baseless" Pakistan's charge that it was fuelling unrest in Balochistan province.

"There is no basis for that," Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed told reporters when asked about Pakistan Information Minister's charge that India was behind the unrest in Balochistan.

"India was ready to have a dialogue with Pakistan to free the entire region from violence and terror, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would meet President Pervez Musharraf on the sidelines of NAM," Ahamed said.

New Delhi wanted and had asked Islamabad to honour the commitment it made in January 2004 to end cross-border terrorism, the Minister said.

On the accusations by Sri Lankan Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike that Indian High Commissioner Nirupama Rao was meddling in the affairs of the island nation, Ahamed said the Indian government had already replied to it.

"The Indian envoy is discharging her duty in a highly professional manner and everybody has appreciated it," he said.

Moreover, the Sri Lankan government had also clarified that the remarks did not reflect the view of the government, he added.