22 Feb :India has said Pakistan was still in denial mode in connection with the Mumbai terror attacks even as Islamabad linked further progress in its 26/11 probe to New Delhi’s response to its 30 questions seeking more information.
New Delhi also said that Islamabad was showing reluctance in handing over the persons arrested–some of whom are suspected to be involved in the Mumbai strike.
Though Pakistan promised to help India into the investigation in the Mumbai strike it was reluctant to hand over the ‘militants’ arrested by its authorities, External Afffairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Kolkata on Sunday.
"Pakistan is still in the denial mode. We all know it," Mukherjee said talking to newspersons on the sidelines of a meeting at the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI).
In Islamabad, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan will proceed with its probe into the Mumbai attacks after getting India’s response to a set of 30 questions seeking more information on the terror strikes.
"We are waiting for their response and we will take our next step in light of the information provided by India," Qureshi told reporters on Saturday on the sidelines of a function in Islamabad.
Pakistan is proceeding cautiously on the issue of the Mumbai attacks and had offered its complete support to India in probing the incident, he said. "We are treating the issue seriously and effort is to get to the bottom of the matter."
He evaded a direct reply to a question on why Pakistan had not yet sought custody of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist captured by India for the attacks.
Islamabad recently acknowledged Kasab as a Pakistani national.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said the government is considering the possibility of sending an investigation team to India as part of its probe.
India not to compromise with Taliban in any form: Pranab
India has said that New Delhi’s fight against Taliban was total and it cannot compromise with it in any form.
"Taliban produced nothing but violence. They are a terrorist organisation," External Affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee told a private television channel when asked about Pakistan compromising with the Taliban.
Mukherjee said, "Our fight against Taliban is total. We cannot compromise with it."