Delhi says India not planning to attack Pakistan
Afp, Ap, Srinagar/ New Delhi
India’s foreign minister said yesterday the peace process with Pakistan had been put on hold in the wake of last month’s Islamic militant attacks on Mumbai.
“I do admit there is a pause in the composite dialogue process because of the attacks on Mumbai,” Pranab Mukherjee told reporters in Srinagar, the main city in Indian Kashmir.
“What we expect, and what we have pointed out to (Pakistani Foreign Minister) Shah Mahmood Qureshi, is that Pakistan should fulfil its commitment of not allowing its territory for terrorist attacks against India,” he added.
“Words must be followed up with action,” Mukherjee said, calling for militant “infrastructural facilities” in Pakistan to be dismantled.
“We expect that good sense will prevail and we expect that the assurances that are coming will translate into action,” he said.
In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, the official Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported that the Indian government was considering suspending the peace process.
The dialogue, which began in 2004, had already been under serious strain following the bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul in July — which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad.
Earlier India’s defence minister said Tuesday that his country was not readying for military action against Pakistan in retaliation for last month’s militant attacks in Mumbai.
The defence minister, however, did highlight the prospect of a serious deterioration in relations between the two nuclear-armed rivals if Pakistan failed to take action against the plotters of the attacks.
“We are not planning any military action,” AK Antony told reporters.
But he added that “unless Pakistan takes action against those terrorists who are operating from its soil and against India, and also against all those who are behind the Mumbai terrorist attacks, things will not be normal.”
“We have to think about the safety of our people. I cannot say what course of action we will take, but unless Pakistan shows sincerity in what they are saying, things will not be as usual,” he added.
Courtesy: thedailystar.net
