Pakistan on Friday made a tall claim that the Mumbai terror attacks could have been stopped if India had shared information.

In remarks that are bound to annoy New Delhi, interior minister Rehman Malik noted that India had arrested several suspects before the Mumbai attacks, and then made the preposterous claim that the attacks could have been avoided if Islamabad has received information on the arrests.

“Mumbai attacks may have never happened if India shared information with us,” said Mr Malik. He was clearly referring to the case of Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Fahim Ansari who was arrested in February but his link to the Mumbai terror plot was established only after the attacks.

Mr Malik was also making these remarks in the context of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s recent assertion that there is credible information about Pak-based groups trying to carry out attacks in India. The interior minister urged India to share information on the possible attacks.

He further maintained that the Pakistani government would examine the fresh evidence given by India and the Interpol notice against Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed. The red corner notice was issued on the basis of evidence provided by India against the Lashkar founder who is the alleged mastermind behind the Mumbai terror attacks case.

“We will examine it (the Interpol notice),” Mr Malik was quoted as saying in London. He further maintained that “certain procedures” had to be followed for Pakistan to follow the Interpol notice.

Interpol had issued a notice against Saeed on Thursday following a request made by India based on the non-bailable arrest warrant issued against the Lashkar founder. India had said that the Interpol red corner notice against Saeed also vindicated the stand that Saeed was a key player in the Mumbai terror attack plot, a point that Islamabad is yet to accept.

Refusing to buckle under pressure, Pakistan has exhibited extreme reluctance to go after Saeed, who is a powerful figure in Pakistan. Apart from rhetoric, the Pakistani government is yet to reveal the outcome of its own investigations into the attacks.

In this backdrop, New Delhi, left with no choice, has continued to say that it will share more details with Islamabad on Saeed but that it was time for Islamabad to act. “We will be happy to share more details. The ball is now in Pakistan’s court,” an official source said. “It is for Pakistan to take meaningful steps in this regard.”

India had provided a fifth dossier this month to Pakistan, which is yet to respond to the dossier that is devoted to Saeed’s involvement in the plot including details of his meetings with the terrorists who carried out the attacks. In a response to the Interpol red corner notice, external affairs minister S.M. Krishna had said that Pakistan should now take action against Saeed.

Leave a Reply