PM, Obama concerned over growing terror in Pak, Afghan

Setting the tone for their first meeting, US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today voiced deep concern over the growing hold of terrorist elements in Pakistan and Afghanistan with the Indian leadership getting increasingly worried over the dangerous situation in its neighbourhood.

Singh, who will meet the new American leader here tomorrow immediately after the conclusion of the G-20 summit, said that "the epicentre of terrorism" was in Pakistan and "the world community has to come to grips with this harsh reality".

While he had not studied Obama's recently-announced strategy to stabilise Afghanistan and Pakistan, now known as "AfPak" plan, Singh expressed the hope that "whatever the world community plans to do they will pay adequate attention that terrorism ceases to be a problem in Afghanistan as well as Pakistan".

The Prime Minister's remarks come in the backdrop of the audacious terror strikes in Lahore during the past one month, including Monday's attack on a police training school, about 15 km from the border with India, which is now deeply concerned at the "really dangerous situation" so close to it.

Recognising that terrorists were making frontal attacks on the security forces, India has stepped up its vigil.