Click to play videoNew Delhi: Pakistan is under increasing world pressure to act against terrorism and hand over to India people wanted for terrorist attacks and crimes.
Pakistan has agreed to a 48-hour timetable set by India and the US to formulate a plan to act against Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) and to arrest at least three Pakistanis who Indian authorities say are linked to the Mumbai terrorist assaults, the Washington Post reported citing a high-ranking Pakistani official.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivities, said India had also asked Pakistan to arrest and hand over LeT commander Zaki ur-Rehman Lakhwi and the former director of Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Hamid Gul, in connection with the investigation, the daily said on Saturday.
The Washington Post cited an unnamed high-level source in the Indian government as saying India had "clear and incontrovertible proof" that the Pakistan-based LeT planned the attacks and that the group's leaders were trained and supported by ISI.
"We have the names of the handlers. And we know that there is a close relationship between the Lashker and the ISI," the source told the newspaper.
Indian officials have said the sole surviving gunman in the attacks, who goes by the alias Muhammad Ajmal Kasab, 21, mentioned Lakhwi during police questioning. Police had earlier identified the gunman as Ajmal Amir Kasab.
Indian government sources told CNN-IBN they are not aware of any 48-hour deadline for Pakistan to act against terrorists and said they are waiting to see the country’s response.
The sources refused to comment on options India was considering to force Pakistan’s hand.
Senator McCain asks Pakistan to act
US Senator John McCain, who was visiting Islamabad on Saturday, said Pakistan understands it must take quick action against any terrorists connected to the Mumbai attacks.
Asked about the possibility that India may take military action if Pakistan does not react to its allegations, McCain said Saturday he believed Islamabad would cooperate with India and take timely "specific acts to avert any further deepening of this crisis.
"From our meetings we have had today (Saturday) we are encouraged that the government of Pakistan will show that cooperation in words and deed," he told reporters after meetings with Pakistan's prime minister and military chief.
McCain came to Pakistan with two other U.S. senators — Joseph Lieberman and Lindsey Graham — as part of a regional tour as members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. They previously visited India.
"We were angry after 9/11. This is India's 9/11. We cannot tell India not to act when that is what we did, asking the Taliban to hand over Osama Bin Laden to avoid a war and waging one when they refused to do so," said McCain.
European Union chides Pakistan
The European Union too condemned Pakistan for allowing terrorist groups to flourish within its borders and using these groups to launch attacks on India. “Despite Pakistan's claim of participating in the war against terror, it continues to host terrorist leaders of the,” said a declaration adopted by the European Union Parliament in Brussels.
The declaration on Saturday asked Pakistan to stop cross-border infiltration and take immediate action to extradite to India "leaders of Khalistan (groups) and other terrorist groups who acknowledge their role in terrorist activities in India".
(With inputs from IANS, AP and PTI. )
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.