In the letter dated May 10, 1992, Baker threatened that unless Pakistan discontinued its support for terrorism in Kashmir, the US might declare it a state sponsor of terrorism.
“We have information indicating that ISI and others intend to continue to provide material support to groups that have engaged terrorism,” read the letter dated May 10, according to Haqqani in the book.
“I must take that information very seriously,” Baker wrote but discounted Pakistani claims that the support for the Kashmiri militants came from private groups and Islamist parties and not from the government... It appreciated Sharif's earlier promises that ‘Pakistan will take distance itself from terrorist activities against India',” the letter said.
According to Baker, US law required applying “an onerous package of sanctions” against “states found to be supporting acts of international terrorism and I have the responsibility of carrying legislation.”
The letter was delivered to Sharif by the then US envoy to Pakistan Nicholas Platt who also attached talking points along with. The talking points said that the US is “very confident” of its information.
“Your intelligence - Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate and elements of the Army are supporting Kashmiri and Sikh militants who carry out terrorism,” Platt affirmed.
This support, Platt said, comprised “providing weapons, training and assistance in infiltration move all ambiguity.
He insisted that “We're talking about covert Government of Pakistan support,” the book says.
