Malik calls up Shinde; seeks evidence on allegations

Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Sunday said he had asked India to provide evidence that elements in Pakistan are using social media networking sites to whip up communal sentiments and create a scare among people of northeastern India

"The Indian (Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde) has said that rumours were generated from Pakistan through cellular services," he told reporters during an interaction about his phone conversation with Shinde earlier in the day.

The minister said, "I had requested him (Shinde) to provide evidence in this regard to us and we will take care of it".

Malik said he and Shinde had discussed the regional situation, including rumours which forced thousands of people from Assam to flee Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

He said India and Pakistan have expressed their resolve to work for the eradication of terrorism from the region and for the progress of the people of the two countries.

"We will have to work jointly for the safety of the region," he said. Malik said he had invited Shinde to visit Pakistan to take forward work on a revised visa agreement between the two countries.

The interior minister telephoned Shinde to convey greetings for Eid-ul-Fitr and briefly spoke about pending issues between the home and interior ministries of the two countries.

During the conversation, Shinde expressed concern over the social media networking sites being misused by elements based in Pakistan to circulate false pictures and stories to whip up communal sentiments in India.

This was the first direct contact between the two ministers and Shinde sought Pakistan's cooperation in neutralising such elements.