By NNN-APP,
Washington : President Asif Ali Zardari has rejected suggestions that Pakistan was in some way involved in last week’s deadly attacks on Mumbai, asserting no evidence has been brought forward to substantiate such claims.
Appearing in CNN’s Larry King Live, Zardari said he believed that the Mumbai attackers were ‘stateless actors,’ and that the stateof Pakistan was in no way responsible for the attacks.
He pledged to look into any proof of any Pakistani individual’s link to the Mumbai incident, if it is provided to Islamabad.
“I think these are stateless actors who have been operating all throughout the region,” the Pakistani leader stated Tuesday night in the interview, during which he pointed out that Pakistan itself has been a victim of terrorism and fighting the menace resolutely.
“The gunmen plus the planners, whoever they are, (are) stateless actors who have been holding hostage the whole world,” he added.
“The state of Pakistan is in no way responsible,” Zardari stated, while also sympathizing with the Indian victims of the tragedy.
“… Even the White House and the American CIA have said that today. The state of Pakistan is, of course, not involved. We’re part of the victims, Larry. I’m a victim. The state of Pakistan is a victim. We are the victims of this war, and I am sorry for the Indians, and I feel sorry for them.”
The president said his elected government has nothing to do with any militant activity against India.
“I can assure the world from my side, from my Army’s side, from my parliament’s side and the people of Pakistan that we are not helping any such activity.”
Zardari confirmed he is willing to have Pakistani security officials participate with India in a joint investigation.
“We have offered to take this step forward and cooperate with the Indians. I am willing to have my security advisor and their
security in charge of our intelligence security and their intelligence security, have a joint committee which we have proposed to the Indians for a joint investigation in the Mumbai incident.”
Asked about the suspect in custody, who, the Indians claim to be a Pakistani, Zardari said: “We have not been given any tangible proof to say that he is definitely a Pakistani. I very much doubt it, Larry, that he is a Pakistani.”
He told the channel that the stateless individuals are killing citizens in Pakistan. “Like I said, these are stateless individuals. … We’ve had incidents the past two days in Karachi where we’ve lost
more than 40 to 45 people, hundreds injured. These are stateless actors who are moving throughout this region.”
“I am definitely going to look into all the possibility of any proof that is given to us,” Zardari said when questioned about Indian allegations.
“At the moment, these are just names of individuals. No proof, no investigation, nothing has been brought forward,” he said in response to a question about New Delhi asking for certain individuals.
If proof of the individuals’ involvement is provided, he said, “We would try them in our courts, we would try them in our land, and we would sentence them.”
Zardari said in answer to another question that ‘Lashkar-e-Tayyiba’ is a “banned organization” in Pakistan and around the world.
“If indeed they are involved, we would not know,” he said.
“Again, they are people who operate outside the system. They operate like—al Qaeda, for instance, is not state‑oriented. They operate something on that mechanism, and … I’ve already offered India full cooperation on this incident, and we intend to do that.”
“I’m firmly committed to fighting terrorism per se,” he said.
“That’s why we are fighting them every day.”
Questioned about the possibility of Indian military strikes against terrorist camps in Pakistan, Zardari cautioned it would be counterproductive to collective efforts against terrorism in the region.
“I would not agree with that because this is a time to come together and do a joint investigation and look at the problem in the larger context. We have a larger threat on our hands.”
“The threat is in the region, and just not to Mumbai or to India.
The threat to the state of Pakistan. There’s a threat to the state of Afghanistan. It’s a threat throughout the region. So that would be counterproductive.”
On whether the Mumbai attacks could trigger a fourth war between the two South Asian nuclear powers, Zardari said: “democracies don’t go to war. All those wars you’re talking about did not take place in any democracy. They all happened in the times of dictators…”
“The whole nation of Pakistan is united to … becoming friends with India,” he said.
Zardari said he stands for working towards peace with India.
“I am looking forward and I am hoping that I will be the catalyst that makes India and Pakistan live in peace forever”. I am looking forward to making it a regional economical zone. I am looking forward to working in all walks of life together and India is a neighbor, it is one billion plus people, it’s a market, it’s an opportunity, relations with India is an opportunity for Pakistan.”