Zardari seeks 'some time' to act against terror

Ajay Kaul

On Board PM's Special Aircraft, Jun 17 (PTI) Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh has asked Pakistan to show the same
determination against terrorism directed against India as was
being done in dealing with Taliban and Al-Qaida, responding to
which President Asif Ali Zardari sought "some time".

Singh laid down the yardstick for Zardari during their
ice-breaking meeting Tuesday in the Russian town of
Yekaterinburg and told him that if Islamabad shows "courage,
determination and statesmanship to take the high road to
peace, India will meet it more than half the way."

Speaking to accompanying journalists while returning
from Yekateringburg after his three-day visit, Singh said
Zardari talked about "difficulties" that his government is
facing in fighting terrorism.

"I explained to him that whereas Pakistan has taken
strong and effective action against Taliban and Al Qaida, we
have a strong feeling that those elements who are responsible
for attacks in our country are not being brought to justice,"
Singh said.

"We wish Pakistan well in dealing with Taliban, Al Qaida
but I would like Pakistan to show the same determination in
dealing with elements who operate from Pakistani soil and
commit acts of terrorism against India," Singh said.

Responding to Prime Minister's blunt talk during the
40-minute conversation, Zardari sought to assure him that he
was "sincere" in fighting terror and sought "some time."

Giving details of his talks with Zardari, Singh said they
discussed Indo-Pak ties "which remain under considerable
stress and strain, the primary cause of which is terrorist
attacks against India emanating from Pakistani territory."

He said he had conveyed to Zardari the "full extent of
our expectation that the government of Pakistan take strong
and effective action to prevent use of Pakistani territory for
attacks against India and brings to justice perpetrators of
past attacks, including those of Mumbai massacre and dismantle
the infrastructure of terror in Pakistan."

Foreign Secretaries of the two countries will discuss
what Pakistan is doing and can do to prevent terrorism from
Pakistan against India and bring to justice those responsible
for these attacks, he said.

To a question about Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed,
the Prime Minister evaded a direct reply but said that he had
flagged the "tangible things" that India would like to see.

Singh made it clear that he would try again to make
peace with Pakistan but for it to happen, Islamabad needed to
take "strong and effective" steps against terrorism directed
against India.

"I have spoken before also about my vision of a
cooperative sub-continent and of the vital interest that India
and the people of the sub-continent have in peace. For this,
we must try again to make peace with Pakistan. PTI AKK
DEP
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