It marks a "seismic shift" in Pakistan's stand on terror groups, screamed the country's media on Islamabad's admission that part of conspiracy was hatched within the state.
It marks a "seismic shift" in Pakistan's stand on terror groups, screamed the country's media on Islamabad's admission that part of conspiracy of the Mumbai attacks was hatched within the state and counseled that India should co-operate to bring the perpetrators to justice.
"Honesty and hard realities" are finally dawning on the decision makers," said the News Daily in an editorial which proclaimed "we mean business".
The paper said Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik's announcement that charges have been filed against nine suspects, including several Pakistanis and Mohammad Ajmal, the lone terrorist captured for the attacks, and that part of the conspiracy had "taken place in Pakistan" is a "seismic shift" in the way the government has approached the matter.
"This is the first time that a senior representative of a sitting Pakistani government has ever acknowledged that any terror attack on another nation has been planned in whole or part within the country."
"There can be no doubt that this admission could mean serious implications for the security services – as Mr Malik is sure to know more than he is telling us," it said.
The paper felt that Pakistan has been "open and upfront" on the investigations on the Mumbai terror attacks and this should inspire confidence in Pakistan government and "within the nations around us".
There is "need for one voice," declared the Nation daily and said there was a need for a coordinated response by all Pakistani institutions.
Labeling Malik's revelations as "significant," another newspaper the Daily Times said these proved that "Islamabad had been pursuing the case diligently and in line with its promise to do so".
The paper said "it also indicates that the government was sincere in condemning the Mumbai attack and was not complicit in it, a wild allegation made by India as part of its diplomatic offensive to isolate Pakistan and paint it as a sponsor of terrorism".
It quoted Malik as saying that six of the nine suspects named in Pakistan's FIR on the Mumbai attacks had been arrested while two others had been identified but were still at large and that the Pakistani investigators had found links that led to Austria, Italy, Spain and the US.
The accused had "prima facie committed offences" punishable under the Anti-Terrorism Act, Pakistan Penal Code and Prevention of Electronic Crimes Ordinance, he added.
"Now let us see reciprocity on the Indian side," the Pakistani media said.
The Daily Times said that India should now work with Pakistan to take the probe forward. "There is also a requirement for India to cooperate with Pakistan, a fact that Islamabad has long stressed. The (Indian) dossier itself is not enough".
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