NEW DELHI, March 4: Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram rejected on Wednesday allegations by Pakistani officials that the Lahore attack had cross-border links and his senior aides mulled over ways to further tighten security for next year’s Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi.

“This is complete rubbish. They did this a month and a half ago when there was another incident,” Mr Chidambaram told a TV channel. “We want peace in South Asia. We want no terror in South Asia. We don’t export terror. We have zero tolerance for terror whether it is within India or outside India.”

He was responding to allegations levelled by some Pakistan ministers and officials of an Indian link in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team.

“Pakistan is only taking half measures in the fight against terrorism. Pakistan is paying the price for not heeding our advice,” Mr Chidambaram said.

“Unless you dismantle terror, one day or the other you’ll be hurt,” he told Pakistan. “We have put enormous pressure on Pakistan, but the response is in Pakistan’s hands... They have not gone the whole distance to dismantle terror infrastructure. We advised them that it is not enough if they nab one or two people whom they suspect to be the masterminds.”

Meanwhile, senior officials in the Indian home ministry reviewed the security arrangements for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Press Trust of India said that against the backdrop of the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Indian officials favoured monitoring the Games village even during construction fearing that terrorists could use this opportunity to do mischief, official sources said.

The concern of the security agencies also stems from the report of a parliamentary panel, which found serious lapses in preparations for the mega 2010 sporting event, PTI said.

The Standing Committee on Home Affairs in its latest report said the actual security cover to the people of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) ahead of the Games “appears to be inadequate”.
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