India To Give Proof Of Pakistanis' Involvement In North-East Exodus Issue

India will present Pakistan with the proof of the involvement of Pakistani-based groups in fueling communal sentiments in India using social media and cellphone networks.

India had alleged on Sunday that it had evidence of Pakistan-based social networking websites circulating doctored images and video clippings to trigger unrest among the Muslims and people from the northeastern states in India.

However, Pakistan had refuted the charges as baseless and sought concrete proof from India. Reacting to Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik's statement that the country will look in to the issue if India gives evidence on the allegations, Indian Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Monday said that India would provide the required evidence to Pakistan.

"India will give proof to Pakistan very soon on the involvement of Pakistani websites," Shinde said, according to an IBN report.

According to the sources at the Indian Home Ministry, Malik had a telephonic conversation with Shinde on Sunday on the occasion of the Muslim festival of Eid ul Fitr. During the conversation, Shinde had expressed concern over the issue and sought Pakistan's cooperation in curbing these acts.

However, referring to his telephonic talk with Shinde, Malik said that they discussed the regional situation including the exodus of the North East people.

"The Indian minister has said that rumors were generated from Pakistan through cellular services." "I had requested him (Shinde) to provide evidence in this regard to us and we will take care of it," Malik said, according to a PTI report.

A report prepared by the Indian home ministry had said that the morphed MMS clips and fake text messages depicting atrocities against the minority Muslims in Assam and Myanmar were sourced from the Pakistan territory. The report had said such video clippings were first posted in Pakistani blogs.

The fake messages were used to incite the minorities against the people from the North East Indian states, triggering an exodus of the panic-stricken community to their home states.

Mobile Services Restored in Pakistan

In another unrelated development, Pakistan restored cellular services in the country after a 14-hour blackout to prevent any terrorist attack ahead of the Eid ul Fitr festival.

Pakistan's mobile service providers had suspended their services on Sunday 8 p.m. local time in all major cities including Lahore, Karachi and the Punjab province, following orders from the interior ministry of Pakistan.

"We regret that it had to be suspended in some cities due to the risk of terrorist attacks. We regret inconvenience caused to youth and children," Interior Minister Rehman Malik was quoted saying by state TV.

The service was restored Monday mid-morning.