By Lalit K. Jha, IANS,
United Nations : India has told Pakistan that it should concentrate on taking action against those terrorists who were instrumental in the Mumbai terror attacks rather than harping on the Kashmir issue.
“Pakistan should focus its attention on taking action against the criminals who perpetrate or aid, abet, finance or otherwise support terrorism, rather than bringing before this council extraneous issues relating to the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir,” Indian diplomat Vikram Doraiswami said at the UN headquarters here Tuesday.
Doraiswami made this statement using the Right to Reply option during the Security Council debate on terrorism after the Pakistani Ambassador to the UN Abdullah Hussain Haroon raised the issue of Kashmir before the 15-member body.
“The issue at hand is that of terrorism and the use of territory controlled by Pakistan by terrorist groups based in Pakistan to perpetrate acts of terror in India,” Doraiswami said.
In his speech, the Pakistani envoy tried to link terrorism in the region to the Kashmir dispute.
“The best outcome of the (Mumbai) tragedy would be the resolution of the issue of Kashmir,” Haroon said.
Terrorists who India says came from Pakistan struck at several places in Mumbai on the night of Nov 26, eventually seizing two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre. The 60-hour nightmare left 172 people dead and 248 injured.
“We did not wish to raise any issues, but by jumping to conclusions, I would request my friends in India only to recall when the Friendship Samjhauta Express – I do not want to raise this, I am just giving an example – was burnt down with Muslim passengers killed on their way to Pakistan, fingers were pointed hastily at Pakistan. Later, it was proved that an Indian Army colonel was involved,” Haroon said.
“Similarly, another point I would not have raised today, but under the circumstances, in Kashmir, Pakistan despite its domestic situation, is exercising restraint in international forums. This is how we would have liked to see the aftermath of Mumbai incident as well,” he said.