New Delhi, December 1
Amid mounting tension between the two countries over the Mumbai terror strikes, India today unambiguously told Pakistan that the audacious attack was carried out by elements from Pakistan and demanded a strong action against them.
Pakistan High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik was summoned to the foreign office by Vivek Katju, special secretary in the external affairs ministry, this afternoon and was told that Islamabad’s actions needed to match the sentiments expressed by its leadership that it wished to have a qualitatively new relationship with New Delhi.
“He (Malik) was informed that the recent
terrorist attack on Mumbai was carried out by elements from Pakistan. The government expects that a strong action would be taken against those elements, whosoever they may be, responsible for this outrage,” an external affairs ministry spokesman told reporters here.
Sources, meanwhile, said India had sought the extradition of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar and Lashkar chief Hafiz Sayeed for their involvement in heinous crimes on the Indian soil.
New Delhi also shared with Pakistan the investigations carried out so far into the attacks, which had made it abundantly clear that the Mumbai attacks were masterminded by elements in the neighbouring country.
The sources said India expected Pakistan to match its words with deeds and cooperate fully with the investigations, as had been promised by its President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
It is becoming clear that India’s patience with Pakistan is running out because of its inability to rein in the ‘jehadi’ elements operating from its soil.
