With Pakistan repeatedly attempting to deflect diplomatic jabs pushing it into action against ‘terror elements’ inside its territories, New Delhi on Monday pinned Islamabad to the wall by summoning Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik and handing over to him “material” proving Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks.
The move is part of the diplomatic offensive by New Delhi to convince the international community and Islamabad to act against those responsible for plotting the audacious and concerted terror strikes in Mumbai.
All resident heads of missions are to be briefed within the next 24 hours while Indian Ambassadors will carry the effort forward in the countries they are assigned to.
India on Monday also shared the material with the visiting Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister, He Yafei during a meeting he held with Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon.
In continuum of India’s resolve to seek concrete action against cross border terror attacks, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is writing to all his counterparts providing them with details of the events in Mumbai and describing the progress made in the investigations.
Home Minister P Chidambaram is scheduled to travel to the US later this week to share evidence on the Mumbai terror srikes to rally support for India’s efforts to build pressure on Pakistan.
“Our goals are clear. We want the perpetrators to be brought to justice,” Menon told journalists.
Responding to queries on the involvement of those in the Pakistani establishment, Menon said: “It is hard to believe that something of this scale that took so long in preparation and of this nature that amounts to a commando attack could occur without anybody, anywhere in the establishment knowing this was happening.”
Soon after Menon handed over dossiers to the Pakistani High Commissioner, Mukherjee said the material was linked to “elements in Pakistan.”
He said India expected Islamabad to “promptly undertake further investigations” and put the results before the world.
“We would also hope that Pakistan will implement its bilateral, multilateral and international obligations to prevent terrorism in any manner from territory under her control,” he added.
The dossiers contain material obtained during the interrogation of Mohammed Ajmal ‘Kasab,’ the Pakistani national arrested for the Mumbai terror attack, details of the terrorists’ communication links with elements in Pakistan, recovered weapons and equipment and data retrieved from recovered GPS and satellite phones.
“What happened in Mumbai was an unpardonable crime. As far as the government of Pakistan is concerned, we ask only that it implement the bilateral commitments that it has made at the highest levels to India, and practise her international obligations. These are clear. It is my hope that the world will unite to achieve the goal of eliminating the threat of such terrorism,” said Mukherjee.
Simultaneously, the US said it would also present evidence of Pakistani involvement in the attacks in order to persuade Islamabad to take the investigation into the attacks “to its conclusion.”
Speaking to journalists, US Ambassador in India David Mulford said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would pursue the evidence gathered in Mumbai before taking the evidence to Pakistan.
“Under our law, if Americans are killed, the US itself has a duty to pursue all avenues to the bottom of it,” he added.
The move is part of the diplomatic offensive by New Delhi to convince the international community and Islamabad to act against those responsible for plotting the audacious and concerted terror strikes in Mumbai.
All resident heads of missions are to be briefed within the next 24 hours while Indian Ambassadors will carry the effort forward in the countries they are assigned to.
India on Monday also shared the material with the visiting Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister, He Yafei during a meeting he held with Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon.
In continuum of India’s resolve to seek concrete action against cross border terror attacks, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is writing to all his counterparts providing them with details of the events in Mumbai and describing the progress made in the investigations.
Home Minister P Chidambaram is scheduled to travel to the US later this week to share evidence on the Mumbai terror srikes to rally support for India’s efforts to build pressure on Pakistan.
“Our goals are clear. We want the perpetrators to be brought to justice,” Menon told journalists.
Responding to queries on the involvement of those in the Pakistani establishment, Menon said: “It is hard to believe that something of this scale that took so long in preparation and of this nature that amounts to a commando attack could occur without anybody, anywhere in the establishment knowing this was happening.”
Soon after Menon handed over dossiers to the Pakistani High Commissioner, Mukherjee said the material was linked to “elements in Pakistan.”
He said India expected Islamabad to “promptly undertake further investigations” and put the results before the world.
“We would also hope that Pakistan will implement its bilateral, multilateral and international obligations to prevent terrorism in any manner from territory under her control,” he added.
The dossiers contain material obtained during the interrogation of Mohammed Ajmal ‘Kasab,’ the Pakistani national arrested for the Mumbai terror attack, details of the terrorists’ communication links with elements in Pakistan, recovered weapons and equipment and data retrieved from recovered GPS and satellite phones.
“What happened in Mumbai was an unpardonable crime. As far as the government of Pakistan is concerned, we ask only that it implement the bilateral commitments that it has made at the highest levels to India, and practise her international obligations. These are clear. It is my hope that the world will unite to achieve the goal of eliminating the threat of such terrorism,” said Mukherjee.
Simultaneously, the US said it would also present evidence of Pakistani involvement in the attacks in order to persuade Islamabad to take the investigation into the attacks “to its conclusion.”
Speaking to journalists, US Ambassador in India David Mulford said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would pursue the evidence gathered in Mumbai before taking the evidence to Pakistan.
“Under our law, if Americans are killed, the US itself has a duty to pursue all avenues to the bottom of it,” he added.
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