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Enough proof given, Pakistan must act: India
Pakistan has been given enough evidence regarding the Mumbai terror attacks and "Islamabad must act", Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Sunday. "Not once, twice or thrice but as many as ten times we have given evidence. Please pursue those evidence and take action as per your (Pakistani) law," he said addressing Pakistan at a conference at the Bengal Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata. "Instead of contradiction and denial, they will have to take action," Mukherjee added. "We want that you keep the commitments given, one by former president Pervez Musharaff and the other by the current president (Asif Ali) Zardari that Pakistan's territory will not be allowed to be used by terrorists. Keep that commitment." He said Islamabad must arrest and hand over the fugitives of Indian law taking shelter in Pakistan as well as Pakistani suspects required for terror probes in India. "Those who are Indian citizens, hand them over to us. Those who are required for investigations, may be your citizens, also hand them over to us." Diplomatic campaign: The Indian government has convened a two-day conference of India's 120 ambassadors and high commissioners today (Monday) during which Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will initiate a global campaign to build international pressure on Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, the Indian media said in various reports on Sunday. Prior knowledge: Sources in the Indian government said New Delhi believed Pakistan Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency had prior knowledge of the Mumbai attacks. "They may not have authored attacks, but they knew of both the Kabul as well as Mumbai attacks," they said. The assessment was shared at a security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Singh on Saturday night. Indian ministers, top security and intelligence officials and services chiefs attended the meeting. Indian Army believes such terror outfits cannot be curbed unless the Pakistani military's war-waging potential is severely damaged. There was also talk of launching "covert actions" against ISI either targeting its headquarters or using air and missile strikes on pinpointed targets without ground operations. But, that is likely to heighten tensions with Pakistan. A section within the security establishment is favouring limited actions within AJK. An action like Operation Parakram -- a grand deployment of Indian troops along the Pakistani border in 2001 -- is also being discussed with the aim to hit Pakistan's economy. Posted by: Fred 2008-12-22 |
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