Union Minister Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said there was no intelligence failure behind Wednesday’s serial blasts in Mumbai and the aim of the perpetrators was to derail the dialogue process between India and Pakistan.
“There are forces in Pakistan and in this country who do not want peace to come to the sub-continent. They always want to create a situation where(in) peace always goes farther and farther,” Mr. Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar.
Responding to a question, he said Home Minister P. Chidambaram has made it clear that there was no intelligence failure behind the Mumbai blasts that at least 19 people dead and around 140 others injured.
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He said both the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008 and the recent blast came ahead of scheduled talks between New Delhi and Islamabad.
“The blasts have been carried out as Pakistan Foreign Minister (Hina Rabbani Khar) is arriving for talks. I pray and hope that both sides move forward,” Mr. Abdullah, who is also president of ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir, said.
The Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy said he was thankful to the almighty that better sense had prevailed on the leadership of both the countries as they have decided to continue the dialogue process.
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“This is a test for the sincerity of both the countries to find a solution to their issue through talks and reach somewhere,” he said.
Asked about the implications of intelligence inputs about possible attacks in other parts of the country, Abdullah said it was the responsibility of “both India and Pakistan to check terror activities.”
“I would also want that our neighbouring country (Pakistan) should not allow its soil to be used to for terror activities,” he said.