Home India News Manmohan says no to talks, puts Pakistan to sincerity test

Manmohan says no to talks, puts Pakistan to sincerity test

By IANS,

New Delhi : With Pakistan prevaricating over punishing those behind the Mumbai attacks, India Wednesday said there won’t be any resumption of bilateral talks till Islamabad allows terrorists to use its territory against India.

New Delhi also underlined that it has provided enough evidence to Pakistan to act against the perpetrators of the Mumbai carange.

“The present situation is so long as Pakistan chooses to allow its territory to be used against India, no negotiation can take place,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here.

“We are for engagement with Pakistan but Pakistan must prove its sincerity by bringing the perpetrators of 26/11 attacks to book,” he said in an interaction with members of the Editors Guild of India.

Manmohan Singh also repudiated Pakistan’s contention that India has not provided sufficient evidence to Pakistan regarding the 26/11 attacks.

Underlining India’s concerns about growing terrorism in Afghanistan-Pakistan region, Manmohan Singh said: “We are worried about growth of terrorist elements both in Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

“If the international community and the US work to eliminate terror, in this we are willing to cooperate with them,” he replied when asked about the US proposal for a regional approach towards stabilising Afgahnistan-Pakistan region.

A day after Pakistan sought more evidence regarding the Mumbai atrocity, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said India was ready to give more information provided Islamabad stops indulging in “diversionary” tactics and show sincerity about punishing those behind the carnage.

Mukherjee also asked Pakistan to accept facts and stop delaying the investigation into the attacks in the garb of seeking clarifications. The mother of Ajmal Amir Kasab, (the Pakistani terrorist caught during the Mumbai terror attacks), is coming to India to meet him, the Pakistani terrorist caught during the Mumbai terror attacks, Mukherjee had said while campaigning in Jangipur in West Bengal.

He referred to her visit to meet Kasab in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail, as he said Pakistan should not delay its probe into the 26/11 attacks on the pretext of seeking more specific information from India.

Kasab’s trial began in Mumbai Wednesday.