By Jaideep Sarin, IANS,
On Board Air India One : India wants Pakistan to punish those behind the Mumbai terror attack and is looking for a reaffirmation of this when he meets with his counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in Egypt next week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said.
“I am looking forward to meeting Prime Minister Gilani (in Egypt). I hope that out of that meeting, renewed reaffirmation on part of Pakistan that it will bring perpetrators of the Mumbai massacre to justice and that Pakistan’s territory will not be used for such activities. If that is done, we are willing to walk more than half the distance,” the prime minister told accompanying media while returning from Italy after attending the G8-G5 summit.
Manmohan Singh and Gilani are scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt, next week. Manmohan Singh leaves again for France and then Egypt on Monday.
The prime minister acknowledged that there were difficulties with Pakistan on the terror issue.
“But I have not given up hope. Our high commissioner has spoken to the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) chief and their foreign office. We are hopeful that they will move ahead in punishing those behind the Mumbai terror attack,” he said.
Asked if India was going soft on Pakistan regarding the Mumbai terror attack November last year, the prime minister said India had to work with neighbours to ensure peace in South Asia.
“I have often said that we can choose our friends but have no choice with regard to neighbours.”
He said India, which had been a victim of terrorism for nearly 25 years, has appealed to world leaders at all forums to put pressure on Pakistan to leave terrorism and walk the path of friendship.