In a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, the Pakistani foreign office accused the Indian leadership of embarking on a propaganda offensive.
Reacting strongly to prime minister Manmohan Singh’s accusation that official agencies in Islamabad had backed the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Pakistan has said such remarks were meant to malign it and would only serve to raise tensions in the region.
In a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, the Pakistani foreign office accused the Indian leadership of embarking on a propaganda offensive instead of making a serious effort to track down the Mumbai attackers.
The foreign office spokesman issued the statement after a meeting between president Asif Ali Zardari and prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani.
The statement said the government categorically rejects ill-timed allegations levelled against Pakistan by India’s prime minister. “Instead of responding positively to the Pakistani offer of cooperation and constructive proposals to nail down those responsible for the Mumbai attacks, the India leadership has chosen to embark on a propaganda offensive,” the spokesman said. He said such actions will ratchet up tensions and also destroy all prospects of serious and objective investigations into the attacks.
Zardari termed Singh’s statement ‘baseless’ and ‘unfortunate’, saying India probably had other motives for such propaganda. Earlier, Gilani and Zardari discussed Indo-Pak tension and steps taken by Pakistan to de-escalate the situation. According to official sources, both leaders agreed to carry out a credible investigation of the evidence provided by India. The two leaders maintained that strict action would be taken against any group found to be involved in the Mumbai carnage.
Zardari said Pakistan condemns state-sponsored terrorism in all forms. But, in the same breath, he said the Pakistani armed forces are ready to foil any attempt at misadventure.
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