Washington's act of branding Harkat-ul-Ansar as a terrorist organisation, along with 29 others, has come none too soon for New Delhi which, to its credit, never deviated from its charges of Pakistani complicity in terrorist activities in the troubled Indian State.

The State Department's clarification that Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) continues to be under watch for the purpose of being similarly declared a terrorist outfit has apparently gladdened the Indian establishment considerably.

Informed sources take note of the State Department's deliberate revival of its publication on global terrorism which dwells on Pakistan's reported material support to the terrorist organisations acting against the Indian Government.

Ever since the involvement of Harkat-ul-Ansar in the July 1995 kidnapping of six Western hostages in the Kashmir Valley was established, the affected Western Governments (US, UK, Germany and Norway) began to smell the Pakistani connection.

Now that it is widely assumed that the four remaining hostages (one American escaped while the Norwegian was beheaded) were also killed, it has become imperative for the four Western governments to ensure that the guilty be punished.

The hostage episode has served to expose the Pakistani connection which the four countries can no longer afford to ignore because their electorates have been demanding stern action against the Kashmiri terrorists.

The episode has also served to highlight the Indian contention that unless the Pakistani connection is severed terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir would continue.

Significantly, the State Department mentions that there are at least two terrorist organisations operating in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere in India which have received "official" support from Pakistan.

Its publication on global terrorism also mentions reports to the effect that Pakistan's support to militants, including Harkat-ul-Ansar, fighting the Indian forces in Jammu and Kashmir had continued well into 1996.

As Pakistan's involvement with terrorist outfits active in India invites wide recognition, the world also takes note of the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is being governed by a popularly elected Government for over a year.

There is apprehension in certain quarters here that Pakistan's note of stridency, evident in recent days, may grow shriller as its frustration over Kashmir continues.