Pak hits back, denies 26/11 ‘state support’

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Jalil Abbas Jilani and his Indian counterpart Ranjan Mathai at a meeting in New Delhi—PTI

Pakistan stayed in complete denial mode with its foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani rejecting evidence India put forward to show “state support” for the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai when this came up for discussion at the two-day foreign secretaries’ talks that ended here Thursday.

Indian government sources said the Pakistani delegation hit back, citing the Samjhauta blast, saying since an Army officer was arrested as part of the conspiracy, if it indicated “state support”. The Pakistani delegation said they would go through Jundal’s disclosures in detail, but felt these did not hold any significance as they were not corroborated with hard evidence.
New Delhi said if Islamabad acted on the basis of Jundal’s disclosures, that would be the “biggest confidence-building measure”. Foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai said: “Bringing the guilty to justice (over 26/11) would be the biggest CBM of all. I did take up the matter with the Pakistan foreign secretary (and) we will pursue this matter to its logical conclusion.” Mr Jilani retorted: “I would very strongly reject any insinuation of involvement of any state agency in any acts of terrorism in India.”
External affairs minister S.M. Krishna said Thursday his long-anticipated Islamabad visit, deferred from July, would now be “sometime in the first half of September”.