By NNN-APP,
New Delhi : Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said India was ready to share necessary information and evidence with Pakistan after completing investigations in Mumbai terror strikes.
Speaking to Karan Thapar on CNN-IBN show Devil’s Advocate, Mukherjee said that India would provide whatever information is necessary.
“Whatever evidences we had we can make available, but in this case you know we are still investigating. We have not come to any conclusions. Therefore at this juncture, it might perhaps be premature to share the evidences,” the Minister said.
However, Mukherjee claimed that India had shared the evidences in the past with Pakistan but, what he alleged it had not been followed up and taken to its logical conclusion.
On the question of the extradition of wanted persons like Maulana Masood Azhar, the Minister said India wants arrest of Pakistani citizens allegedly involved in terrorist activities and try them as per Pakistani laws.
“What I have told them – there are two categories of people involved. Some people who have committed crimes in India – they have left India and taken shelter in Pakistan, like Dawood (Ibrahim). We are asking the Pakistan authority to hand over persons like these to Indian authorities so that they can be tried as per Indian laws. There are persons who are Pakistani citizens who are indulging in terrorist activities let them be arrested, let them be tried as per Pakistani laws,” the Minister said.
“One person I am particularly mentioning – that is Masood Azhar, he was in Indian custody. We had to handover to the hijackers of the Indian (Indian Airlines IC 814) plane in Kandhahar. He is available in Pakistan more than often,” said Mukherjee.
To a question on crackdown by Pakistan on terrorist organisations, he said “we are waiting to see that such steps are pursued seriously.”
He said “non-state actors” are operating on Pakistani soil and that was why he had used phrase “elements from Pakistan.” Mukherjee said he cannot be more specific unless definitive conclusion is arrived by the investigating agencies.
In response to the demarche issued by India, Pakistan said it was considering various aspects on action to be taken and planning to send a high-level delegation to India.
In the demarche, he has sought action against two categories of persons—those who have committed crime in India and have taken shelter in Pakistan, and Pakistani citizens indulging in terrorist activities in India, he added.