By NNN-PTI,
New Delhi : With evidence pointing to involvement of Pakistani terrorists in the Mumbai strikes, India on Monday summoned Pakistan’s envoy here and demanded “strong action” against those responsible for the “outrage” which New Delhi said had dealt a “serious setback” to ties.
High Commissioner Shahid Malik was summoned by Joint Secretary (Pakistan) in the MEA, T C A Raghavan, who issued a demarche (protest note) over Islamabad’s failure to curb terrorism emanating from its soil.
“He (Malik) was informed that the recent terrorist attack on Mumbai was carried out by elements from Pakistan,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash told reporters here.
Malik was told that “Government (of India) expected that strong action would be taken against those elements, whosoever they may be, responsible for this outrage,” Prakash said.
New Delhi made it clear that Pakistan’s actions should “match the sentiments expressed by its leadership that it wishes to have a qualitatively new relationship with India,” he said.
Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said the attacks in Mumbai has dealt a “serious setback to the ongoing process of improving environment in the region and normalisation of relations (with Pakistan).”