Click to play videoNew Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs called the Pakistani High Commissioner Shahid Malik in New Delhi to make its first direct demand on handing over suspects responsible for the Mumbai attacks.
Sources tell CNN-IBN that apart from telling Malik that the attacks had been planned by Pakistani elements, they also told Pakistan to hand over Dawood Ibrahim and Masood Azhar, or face the consequences.
Mumbai has been attacked earlier too. In March 1993, 13 blasts that killed at least 250 people and injured more than 700. That attack too was the handiwork of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
South Block has no doubt about Dawood's role in the November 26 attacks or for that matter about the role of the don's patrons - the ISI.
India's most wanted, Dawood, with help from Pakistan, has eluded for more than 15 years.
India also suspects that along with the Lashkar-e-Toiba, the Jaish-e-Mohammad and its founder Masood Azhar are also involved in the attacks.
Azhar is wanted in India for a string of terror strikes including the attack on the Parliament in 200 that brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war.
And these are reason enough for India to serve a demarche on the Pakistan High Commissioner.
The demarche warned that bilateral relations could hit breaking point unless Islamabad handed over Dawood and Azhar.
"We expect Pakistan to crack down on terror groups and individuals. If Pakistan doesn't deliver our response will be correct and considered," Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said.
There is pressure on Islamabad from the USA too. Ahead of her arrival in Delhi on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Condolezza Rice warned Pakistan to cooperate with India and be transparent in its investigations.
"The Pakistani government must follow the evidence wherever it leads and do that in the most committed and firmest possible way. There should be the highest level of cooperation between the law enforcement and intelligence agencies of both countries," Rice said.
A response from Islamabad is expected at the earliest. Pakistan Yousuf Raza Gilani has called an all party meeting on Tuesday to discuss India's demarche.
But the Pakistani Army has already delivered its response. Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has called for re-deploying as many as 1 lakh troops away from the Afghan frontier to the border with India if tensions escalate.
"Pakistan has already responded today evening to the first demarche issued on November 29. We have given our point of view on Dawood and Azhar. We will have to carefully examine, consider and then respond," said Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
"Pakistan condemned this attack and has extended its cooperation. This is a common enemy and both the countries are victim. In these difficult times both the countries need to stand together," Qureshi said.
Qureshi, however, refused to acknowledge that Dawood was in Pakistan.
"I am not aware of Dawood's whereabouts. Pakistan has a open mind and is willing to cooperate. We should not get into speculation. It is important for both the governments to respond in a measured way," he said.
He also rubbished reports that Pakistan is mobilising troops on its border with India.
According to our information there is no build up on the border yet. The government has clarified that some elements of Indian media have talked of build up. But as per our information there is no build up," he added.
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