Cooperation from Pak in Mumbai attack case lacking: Tharoor

On eve of the first anniversary of the horrific terror attack in Mumbai, the government today said cooperation from Pakistan was lacking in bringing the perpetrators of the strikes to justice.

Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, Shashi Tharoor, minister of State for external affairs, said, "Terrorism is a principal preoccupation in most of our international contacts. We seek to ensure that all countries show us support in the actions we need to undertake, and they cooperate with us.

"Obviously, we have had some difficulties in finding our neighbour, Pakistan, providing the necessary cooperation in bringing the perpetrators, of what happened last year, to justice in arresting, prosecuting and punishing those trained, financed and equipped to launch terrorist attacks in our country," he said.

The minister said India has been raising this issue with the "government of Pakistan and more friendly governments including governments friendly to Pakistan."

Tharoor was replying to supplementaries relating to recent attacks on Indian embassy in Kabul.

He said the government has taken steps to provide the best possible security to the Indian Mission and its four consulates in Afghanistan.

"Wherever necessary, we shall provide our own security to our civilians working in various development projects and to officials in the embassy," he said.