New Delhi, Jan 13: Britain on Tuesday underlined that Islamabad
has the "fundamental" responsibility to target the "roots" of
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) which was behind the terror strike.
India hoped that Pakistan would hand over the "fugitives
of Indian law", notwithstanding Islamabad's refusal to do so,
and asked the world community to build pressure on Pakistan in
a "concerted" manner to ensure that perpetrators of the Mumbai
attacks are brought to justice.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who held
"exhaustive" talks with his British counterpart David
Miliband, apprised him of details of the Mumbai attacks and
its links in Pakistan.
"It is clear where the responsibility lies for Mumbai
attacks, it is with the LeT," Miliband said at a joint press
conference with Mukherjee after their talks.
"Pakistan government, Pakistani state has the primary
responsibility, fundamental responsibility to tackle the roots
of this organisation," the British Foreign Minister said.
On Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's view that official
agencies of Pakistan could have been involved in the Mumbai
strikes, Miliband said "we do not believe the attacks were
directed by Pakistani state".
He, however, said it is important to see what is the
"approach of Pakistani state towards LeT organisation and the
way Pakistani state takes on the LeT."
Contending that it is in Pakistan's own interest to go
after terrorists, the British Foreign Minister said the modern
day threat to Pakistan comes from "within its own borders" as
has been highlighted by the assassination of former Prime
Minister Benazir Bhutto.
"I think the first priority is to bring the perpetrators
to justice... I think that is the responsibility of the
Pakistan state. It is something we look to them to fulfil as
strong sense of the people of Pakistan and also as a member of
the UN Security Council," Miliband said as he noted that India
has been hit by a series of terror attacks during last year.
When it was pointed out that LeT's front outfit
Jamaat-ud-Dawa continues to function despite the UN ban, he
said Pakistan has a "history of people being arrested and then
not being prosecuted or brought to justice".
He underlined that "In this case, it is essential that
those being arrested are brought to justice and if they are
found guilty they are properly punished. And that is an
appropriate response."
Responding to a question on Islamabad's refusal to
extradite anyone to India, Mukherjee said Pakistan, as a
member of the international community, has various bilateral
and regional obligations to cooperate in ending terrorism.
"I do hope that the material we have provided to Pakistan
and evidences which have given, they will act on it and will
ensure that perpetrators of these terror acts are brought to
justice and some of the fugitives of Indian law who have taken
shelter in Pakistan will be handed over to India for their
proper justice," he said.
Mukherjee said during his talks with Miliband, he had
stressed the "need for concerted international pressure to
take firm action" to end cross-border terrorism, of which
India has been a "victim".
He underlined that the Mumbai attacks as also a series of
terror strikes earlier had nothing to do with Indo-Pak issues
but were a part of global terrorism.
Miliband, while praising India's restrained approach
after the Mumbai attacks, emphasised that Pakistan should
ensure that those held in connection with the strikes are put
through trial and brought to justice.
He said he believes that Zardari government would do it
as it has promised to do so.
"I think it is very important that those who are
arrested are brought to trial on the basis of the evidences
that have been accumulated," the British Foreign Minister
said.
"The fundamental way to beat the terrorist organisations
is to take them on politically. They need to be taken on
politically by the Pakistan's leaders in a frontal and clear
way," he said, adding that Islamabad's approach towards such
outfits will be crucial.
Lashing out at LeT, he said the "grievances" on which the
outfit is "trying to play on" can in "no way justify" its
acts.
"Political future of Pakistan depends on focussing not on
historical biases but on current challenges, domestic
challenges, political and social challenges," he said.
Hailing Pakistan's legal system, he said it "showed its
independence" in 2008 in the campaign against the previous
Musharraf government. He said the lawyers and justices of
Pakistan are capable of acting "without fear or favour".
Miliband noted that the Pakistan government has said they
want to prosecute those who have been arrested for the
terrible crime in Mumbai.
"I believe that President (Asif Ali) Zardari is sincere
when he says that he wants to tackle the scourge of terrorism
in Pakistan," he said.
Miliband, who travels to Islamabad on Thursday, said it
is vital that the whole Pakistan state machinery support
Zardari in tackling terrorism.
"Terrorism is not someone else's war in Pakistan. It is
their own," he said.
Mukherjee said Pakistan, as a member of the international
community, is obliged to implement all international
conventions and resolutions adopted by the UNSC to tackle
terrorism.
As a member of SAARC, Islamabad is also expected to
implement the SAARC Anti-terror Convention and protocol of
2004, he said.
Bureau Report