Unfair to say Pakistan has not done enough: Shah Mehmood Qureshi

Pakistan today termed as "presumptuous" India's contention that enough was not being done in the Mumbai attacks case, saying the two countries would understand "each other's challenges and difficulties" only through engagement.

In an interview to PTI, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi pressed for a common approach to deal with terrorism and promised to take action against any handler of 26/11, insisting that Islamabad will not sleep over leads forwarded to it.

As India raises questions over the speed of trial in Pakistan in the 26/11 case, Qureshi said the pace was slow because of "complications" arising from the fact that the crime was committed in a different country and exchange of information was a "cumbersome" process.

He said India and Pakistan should work together to send out a message to terrorists that they cannot "drive a wedge" between the two countries.

"If you say Pakistan has not moved, it will be unfair," Qureshi said when pointed to India's refrain that enough has not been done by Islamabad in investigating the 26/11 case and bringing to book all those behind the carnage.

"Do not question our sincerity. We want to move on because terrorism is hitting us as well," the Pakistan foreign minister said.

India has been complaining that Pakistan is not taking action against Mumbai attacks mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed and other identified handlers continue to be at large. 

When referred to this, Qureshi said, "this is being presumptuous. You are presuming because we are not talking. You are presuming because we are not in contact". 

He said when the two sides "sit, meet and talk, these presumptions will disappear and the reality will surface. When
the reality surfaces, we will be able to understand each other's challenges and difficulties".

Home minister P Chidambaram during his meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Rahman Malik here said there were
more people behind the Mumbai attack who should be  rosecuted.

The minister said India and Pakistan needed to develop a joint strategy to deal with these challenges and difficulties.

To a question, he insisted that Pakistan was following up on information provided by India with regard to the Mumbai attacks.

"Pakistan is following up (on the information). Believe me, if we get leads, we are not going to sleep over them. We are going to take action. We are going to follow those leads," he maintained.

India wants Pakistan to undertake investigation on the basis of the leads provided by it and bring to justice all those involved in the carnage that led to a serious setback to bilateral relations.

When pointed out that the speed of trial of seven persons arrested by Pakistan in connection with 26/11 was seen with concern in India, Qureshi explained, "the pace is slow because the case is unique as the scene of crime is in a different country and trial in a different country".

Contending that there were "complications," he said the information exchange takes time and the procedure was "cumbersome and time-consuming".

Seeking to justify the slow pace of trial of 26/11 in Pakistan, the foreign minister said even in India there were many cases pending for years.