Pak says India shouldn't hold back ties on 26/11 Mumbai issue

With India insisting on concrete steps against the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, Pakistan has said New Delhi should not hold the relationship back on a single issue as it has done what was "required" in the case.

"The question is how do we move beyond this point. The relationship cannot be held or brought to a standstill because of a trial or one investigation," Pakistan foreign secretary
Salman Bashir told PTI after meeting his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao here yesterday.

Bashir described the meeting, which came a day before the crucial talks between the foreign ministers of the two countries, as "useful" that helped in understanding the
perspectives of the two parties "more clearly".

"Pakistan has nothing to hide, in fact, we have been very forthcoming on the quality of the work that has been done by our experts in terms of investigations and the arrests etc., and all that has been shared with India," he said.

"It is now, I believe, time that India recognises, which they have, that Pakistan has done what was required," Bashir added.

During the nearly two-hour-long discussions, the Indian side maintained that they want Pakistan to act speedily and in a transparent manner against those responsible for the heinous 26/11 Mumbai attacks.