(a) whether the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has said that the chances of a war between India and Pakistan now are the highest since 1971 and maintained that a conventional war between the two nations could escalate into a nuclear confrontation;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps being taken by the Government to reduce the tension with Pakistan?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI OMAR ABDULLAH)
(a) & (b) Yes, Sir. The Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, in a statement to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on 06 February 2002, said that the attack on the Indian parliament on December 13 has resulted in `calls for military action against Pakistan, and subsequent mobilisation on both sides`. He added that `the chance of war between these two nuclear-armed states is higher than at any point since 1971`.
(c) Tension between India and Pakistan is the result of Pakistan`s sponsorship of and support to cross-border terrorism in India and it can, therefore, be reduced through effective steps by Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism in India.