Stepping up pressure on Pakistan to take action in Mumbai terror attack case, India on Sunday said the normalisation of bilateral ties can “only be in an atmosphere free of terror.”
During the secretary-level talks, foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai had shared with his counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani the information gathered from Jundal who revealed that he, along with Saeed, was in the control room in Pakistan during the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Mr Mathai also shared the information on Pakistani passport and Pakistan’s domestic identity cards issued to Jundal in the name of Riyasat Ali, indicating the involvement of Pakistan’s state agencies in the Mumbai attacks. “Krishna reiterated the importance of taking action to bring perpetrators of Mumbai to justice and action against terrorists. He emphasised that nomalisation of relations can only be in an atmosphere free of terror. Hence the need for creation of the right atmosphere,” official sources said, adding “the activities of Hafeez Saeed pouring venom on India” were pointed out by the minister. The external affairs minister also raised issues related to Sarabjit Singh.
On her part, Ms Khar assured India that new Pakistan government was committed to former PM Yousaf Raza Gilani’s goal of bridging relations with India.