Email
Print
ShareWASHINGTON: Prime minister Manmohan Singh on Monday emphasised the maturity of India's response after the terrorist attacks a year back in Mumbai. He said India didn't lash out or strike Pakistan; instead, it told Islamabad to arrest the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks and dismantle their terrorist network, but it was dragging its feet.
"Pakistan has done something to control the activities of the Taliban terrorist groups in federally administered areas but it is our sincere belief that it has not acted as it should have in dealing with terrorist elements which are using their energies to target our country. Pakistan has not used its machinery to bring to book all those murderous gangs who perpetrated the horrible crime in Mumbai," Singh told the Council of Foreign Relations.
He said, "Innocent citizens lost their lives, several from foreign countries, including six from the United States, two from Canada. Pressure must be exerted on Pakistan by the world community to do much more to bring to book all people responsible for this crime. There is impeccable evidence that the conspiracy was planned in Pakistan, it was executed with the connivance of people who are still roaming around freely in Pakistan."
Ashley Tellis, senior associate of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, warned that Indian and American perceptions were not aligned on some issues of high politics.
"First some dimensions of terrorism -- where India is very concerned that terrorism emerging from Pakistan be accorded the same priority in US interests as terrorism pertaining to al Qaeda and the Taliban. This is one area where both sides need to work to a more fruitful understanding of what is possible," said Tellis.
To Delhi's dismay, the US has looked the other way while much of the $10.5 billion in military hardware and cash subsidies given to Pakistan's army for use against the Taliban has been diverted to building up arm capabilities targeted at India.
