By IANS,
New Delhi : A day after Pakistan sought more evidence regarding the Mumbai terror attacks, India Tuesday said Islamabad was indulging in “diversionary” tactics that raised questions about its sincerity in punishing those behind the carnage.
“We have given sufficient evidence to Pakistan to act against identified masterminds. By delaying action and raising technicalities, Pakistan would be undermining the credibility of its own commitments to take tangible action,” Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma told reporters here.
“Delaying tactics and invoking purely technical issues put a question mark on sincerity and intent of Pakistan,” Sharma said when asked to comment on Pakistan’s contention that it needed more information to carry forward the investigation into the Mumbai attacks in November last year.
“We are waiting for tangible actions by Pakistan and not excuses,” he said.
“What is required is that Pakistan should take action and prove sincerity by bringing perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice,” Sharma said while echoing growing anger here about Pakistan’s perceived lack of will in punishing the guilty nearly five months after the terror attacks.
Sharma also repudiated Pakistan’s “diversionary tactic” in seeking the statement of the late Hemant Karkare of the Anti-Terrorism Squad who was killed during the 26/11 attacks, with regard to Colonel S.K. Purohit in Samjhauta Express blasts.
“It is unconnected. It has nothing to do with 26/11. It is a diversionary tactic.”
Pakistan’s Director General (South Asia) Afrasiab Monday called India’s acting high commissioner Manpreet Vohra to the ministry of foreign affairs in Islamabad and handed over a document seeking “further clarifications/evidence” from the Indian government in the ongoing probe in Pakistan relating to the Mumbai terror attacks.
“The response to some of the queries raised by Pakistan earlier, which is still awaited from India, was also required,” Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement.
“The information being sought from India is in the spirit of cooperation with the Indian authorities and with a view to enabling the relevant authorities in Pakistan to proceed further in the matter. The Government of Pakistan expresses the hope that the Indian authorities will provide the information required as soon as possible.”
A month ago, India handed over to Pakistan answers to 30 questions it had posed on Mumbai’s “horrific terror attacks” and hoped that this step will lead to “credible action” by Islamabad against the perpetrators of the carnage and the “terrorist infrastructure” in that country.