.:: SAMAA - Pak wants only meaningful talks with India: Qureshi

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is interested in only meaningful and productive talks with India, said the Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in an interview with an Indian TV channel in Port of Spain Saturday.

He said he has shared his vision about the talks with his Indian counterpart S M Krishna, but India has not responded to it yet.

To a question, he said that Pakistan has progressed responsibly in the prosecution of the Mumbai attack culprits.

"But India had provided insufficient proof against Hafiz Saeed," said Qureshi.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi is representing Pakistan in the Commonwealth meeting in Port of Spain.

BACKGROUND

In the Mumbai carnage of November 26, 2008, 164 people were killed. New Delhi has accused "Pakistan state" involvement and set a pre-condition of Pakistan taking action against the perpetrators, including prosecution of Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant group that India claims is the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks. The 69-page Indian Dossier titled "Mumbai Terrorist Attacks (November 26-29, 2008)" posted to Pakistan as evidences, lacked credible evidence to stand in the court of Law to bring the perpetrators to justice. Nevertheless, Pakistan has acknowledged that some part of the conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan by non-state actors, acting upon their own wish. Pakistan raided militant organizations and arrested Zakiur Rehman Lakhavi and Hafiz Saeed (founder of the LeT and head of JuD) along with 124 activists throughout Pakistan. Hafiz Mohammad Saeed was arrested in Pakistan in December 2008. However, Lahore High Court released him in June, 2009, in the absence of 'concrete evidence' against him. The Government of Pakistan has lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court for his re-arrest. While expressing dismay over Hafiz Saeed's release, India's Federal Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram termed Lahore High Court's verdict of "insufficient grounds to detain Saeed" to a "charade."

Hafiz Muhammad Saeed has become bone of contention between the two countries. It is very interesting that instead of appreciating Pakistan's efforts against Mumbai suspects, India has hinged everything on the prosecution of Hafiz Saeed. How can Pakistan take action against Hafiz Saeed on the basis of "hearsay & conjectures"? So much so, Indian interior minister has visited to urge US to intervene in the issue and press Pakistan to act against Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, is an uncalled for development. Becoming wary of Indian proddings, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has invited his Indian counterpart for a "public debate" on the issue of Mumbai attacks. Undoubtedly, Pakistan has done more than India as far as investigations into the Mumbai attack are concerned. Pakistan started the trial of 26/11 incidents in a transparent manner. However, time will be required to access the genuineness of information provided by India.

What India has provided so far in the case of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is not sufficient for any legal action. Under immense Indian pressure, Interpol has issued a Red Corner Notice against Hafiz Saeed based on the confession statement of Ajmal Qasab - the lone survivor of Mumbai attackers. The prominent Indian newspaper "The Hindu" criticized the Interpol for issuing such an ambiguous and vague notice.

THE INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

The Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor said that Pakistan has a gun pointed at India. Until this gun is removed, there can be no talks. He also said that the Pakistani claim of the evidence against Hafiz Saeed being insufficient only shows Pakistani inefficiency is investigating the Mumbai attacks.

THE PAKISTANI PERSPECTIVE

Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kiyani, on Nov 19,2009 said that Pakistan faces threat from its adventurous neighbor and the army can go to any extent to protect the country.

The country is facing challenges at internal and external fronts, General Kiyani said while addressing passing out parade at Risalpur Academy. He said that Pakistan is standing at a decisive moment in history and all available means will be used for national security and the army could go to any extent for the purpose. The campaign against terrorists and extremists will continue, he said and added that Swat and Malakand are important milestones for Pakistani army.

The Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also said that there are clear proofs of Indian intervention in Balochistan and Waziristan at the Chief Minister House, Quetta.

"India is worsening the conditions in Pakistan while at the same time crying crocodile tears in front of the world."

On the anniversary of coordinated bloody attacks on targets in the Indian city of Mumbai, the Pakistani foreign ministry said on Thursday that India "fell prey" to the attackers' wishes by not cooperating more with Pakistan in the investigation into the incidents.

Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Bassit said that Pakistan condemned the Mumbai attacks, and had wanted to mount a joint investigation and implement combined prevention measures.

"We thought that this unfortunate incident would rush the two countries to have more cooperation, in order to address this issue of terrorism," Bassit said.

"But unfortunately, India kind of, you know, fell prey to what terrorists perhaps wanted to. That Pakistan and India should not be talking to each other, should not be allowed to normalise their relations," he added. SAMAA