Pakistan not doing enough in 26/11 attack case: Manmohan

"Hafeez Saeed is roaming around freely. Maulana Azhar Masood and other terrorist elements, the Lashkar-e-Toiba, which allegedly perpetrated the Mumbai massacre, are moving around freely", Dr. Singh said.

November 23, 2009 08:57 am | Updated December 17, 2016 05:24 am IST - WASHINGTON

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur upon their arrival at Andrews Air force Base, Maryland in Washington on Sunday. Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Meera Shankar is in the picture. Photo: PTI

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur upon their arrival at Andrews Air force Base, Maryland in Washington on Sunday. Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Meera Shankar is in the picture. Photo: PTI

Accusing Pakistan of not doing enough to bring to book the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said India does not know whom to deal with in Islamabad as the army is the most powerful force in the neighbouring country.

“No, they (Pakistan) have not done enough,” Dr. Singh told CNN in an interview which was taken in New Delhi and aired minutes before the Prime Minister arrived in Washington on Sunday on the first State Visit of the Obama Administration.

“They have taken some steps. I have discussed this matter with (Pakistan) Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, when we met at Sharm al-Sheikh (in Egypt). The joint statement, that we issued, he assured us that Pakistan will do all that is possible to bring to justice the perpetrators of Mumbai massacre,” he said.

“But it is our feeling that Pakistan has not done enough. Hafeez Saeed is roaming around freely. Maulana Azhar Masood and other terrorist elements, the Lashkar-e-Toiba, according to Pakistan’s own admissions which was actively involved in perpetrating massacre in Mumbai, they are moving around freely. The conspiracy took place in Pakistan,” Dr. Singh said.

“So a friendly Pakistan, a government in Pakistan, which would be equally determined to tackle terrorism, would take the case to its logical conclusion. That is not happening,” the Prime Minister said.

On Afghanistan

On Pakistan’s objective in Afghanistan, Dr. Singh said that Islamabad’s objective in the country does not appear to be “necessarily in harmony” with that of the United States.

“Pakistanis sometimes feel that the Americans are short time maximisers that if the pressure continue, they would not have the courage to stay there, they would walk away, that Afghanistan would become a backyard to Pakistan to influence its policies and programs,” he said.

Referring to the recent statement of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about the presence of Quetta Shoura in Pakistan, the Prime Minister said: “That is an indication of the things that are happening on the ground.”

Asked if the Pak Army is serious in tackling the terrorist, Dr. Singh said he is not certain if the Pakistani Army will take on those elements.

“I think the most element force in Pakistan is the army. There is democracy. We would like democracy to succeed and flourish in Pakistan, but we have to recognise that the power today virtually rests with the Army,” he said.

The Prime Minister said he does not think that India has a partner in Pakistan today.

“I do not think whether we have a partner right now. I think, when General Pervez Musharraf (was the President of Pakistan) I was to ask him and he said well I am the Army, I represent the armed forces, I represent the people. Now I do not know whom to deal with,” he said.

Dr. Singh said he has been assured by the United States on the safety and security of the nuclear weapons in Pakistan.

“We worry about all these contingencies,” he said.

“All I can say that the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan created a major problem in the world and that the disappearance of the Taliban regime is indeed a blessing for the global society,” he said.

“President Hamid Karzai having newly re-elected, it is his responsibility and obligation to harmonize and to bring together all elements who can contribute to the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan. I hope he will rises to the occasion,” the Prime Minister said, when asked if enough is being done in Afghanistan.

There has been limited effort before, he said when asked if Mr. Karzai is taking enough measures.

“I hope all elements of the Afghan society who are opposed to the terrorist elements can get together to give a purposeful government to the people of Afghanistan,” Dr. Singh added

'No redrawing of borders'

Dr, Singh said that there can be no redrawing of border with Pakistan, but the two countries can work together to ensure to make it a frontier of peace.

“I have publicly stated that there can be no redrawing of borders, but our two countries can work together to ensure that these are borders of peace, that people-to-people contacts grow in a manner in which people do not even worry whether they are located on this side of the border or that side,” Dr. Singh said in an interview to CNN.

“If trade is free, if people-to-people contacts (are there) and our both countries competing with each other to enable people on both sides to lead the life of dignity and self respect. Those are issues, which we can discuss, we can reach agreement,” he said when asked about the resolution of the Kashmir problem.

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