NEW DELHI -- The Indian government on Thursday said that the "root cause" of problems between India and Pakistan is the latter's "continued support for cross-border terrorism against its neighbours and its promotion as an element of state policy".
"We also regret the fact that Pakistan's step adds to the risks to peace and security in the region emanating from Pakistan's support to cross-border terrorism against its neighbours, its complete denial of the problem, and its complete deflection by resorting to fanciful allegations," Vikas Swarup, spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs, said in a press briefing.
Swarup was referring to Pakistan's naming of eight Indian High Commission officials, including four who hold diplomatic passports, alleging they were members of Indian intelligence agencies and involved in "subversive activities".
"We completely reject the unsubstantiated allegations against certain Indian officials," said Swarup. "The allegations against the Indian officials represent an afterthought and a crude attempt to target these officials for no fault of theirs."
"It is important for Pakistan to desist from those failed policies which have led to its diplomatic isolation as we have all seen, and unless and until that happens I'm afraid the relationship between the two countries will continue to be like this."
Meanwhile Swarup's counterpart in Pakistan, Nafees Zakaria, said in his weekly briefing that various Indian diplomats were involved in "coordinating terrorist and subversive activities in Pakistan under the garb of diplomatic assignments".
Swarup rejected these allegations, as well as Pakistan's claim that Indian armed forces had fired on some Pakistani civilians and killed them.
(with agency inputs)