New Delhi:
After holding crucial talks with his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar in Islamabad, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna today said that Pakistan has promised action against the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He also said that both India and Pakistan have agreed that terrorism posed continuing threat to peace and reaffirmed the commitment by both the nations to fight it effectively.
"The Pakistani side reiterated its commitment to bring to justice all perpetrators of Mumbai attack expeditiously, in accordance with due process of law," Mr Krishna said addressing a joint press conference with Ms Khar after their one-on-one talks.
The one-on-one meeting between the two leaders was expected to focus on the issue of terrorism, with New Delhi likely to take up the case of slow progress in the 26/11 trial. Mr Krishna is on a three-day-long visit to Pakistan. This is his second visit to Pakistan in over two years.
Ahead of the India-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' talks, Ms Khar in an exclusive interview to NDTV had said that there's no love lost for 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed in Pakistani government and he is not a crony of the establishment. She also said that Pakistan will welcome any evidence against Saeed that can stand in court.
Today's comments by Mr Krishna come in the backdrop of India and Pakistan signing a new visa regime which will facilitate simpler travel for people across the border. The new pact, signed between Mr Krishna and Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik, replaces the old visa regime that was signed in 1974, and will pave the way for time-bound visa approval and greater people-to-people contacts and boost trade. (
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After inking the agreement with India, Mr Malik said, "One good thing is that both countries are ready to talk on everything including Kashmir." He also stressed that India "must share intelligence on terrorists with us so that Mumbai type terror attack does not take place again" and described terrorism as "a big problem".
Ten terrorists from Pakistan had sneaked into Mumbai in November 2008 and gone on a three-day killing spree that left 166 people dead. Nine terrorists were gunned down while the tenth, Ajmal Amir Kasab, was nabbed.
Meanwhile, even as India pushes for a speedy trial of the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court today adjourned the 26/11 case involving seven suspects, including LeT's Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, for a week as prosecution witnesses were not available to record their testimony.
(
With inputs from PTI and IANS)