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Islamabad, New Delhi:
A day after reports came in that Pakistan would arrest Hafiz Saeed, the man India believes is responsible for the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, there's a reality check.
Pakistan on Saturday reiterated that any arrest of Saeed had nothing to do with the 26/11 attacks. What's more? The evidence supplied by India linking Hafiz Saeed to the attacks is not enough.
As an example, the statement of Ajmal Kasab, the terrorist caught in Mumbai, is apparently not enough for courts in Pakistan since he cannot be cross examined in the country.
Is this Pakistan's attempt to break the current deadlock a week before the next major India-Pakistan meeting?
First, on Friday, Pakistan charged Saeed under anti-terror laws for inciting jihad domestically. And now, in the latest response to India's latest dossier on the Mumbai attack investigations, there is no mention of charging Saeed.
"We have arrested two people after Sharm al Sheikh. And we are committed to fighting terror," said Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
Neither the charging of Saeed nor the reply to the dossier address India's key demand of prosecuting Saeed for his role in the Mumbai attacks.
In fact, even though Saeed can be jailed under the domestic terrorism charges, his lawyer is confident they won't stick.
And India is likely to press ahead with its demand to convict Saeed, who is believed to have masterminded the 26/11 attacks.
"We are concerned immediately with the terror attacks on Mumbai. As long as that doesn't find any place in the FIR (police case filed by Pakistan against Hafiz Mohammad Saeed), well, India certainly would request upon Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of attacks on Mumbai," said External Affairs Minister S M Krishna.
Indian and Pakistani foreign secretaries are scheduled to meet in New York next week ahead of talks between Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmud Qureshi, on the sidelines of the UN general assembly.
"Expectations are that Pakistan should focus in a meaningful manner on issue of terrorism. Been consistently stated to Pakistan side with sincerity by government of India, our expectation and hope that Pakistan will address concerns with full seriousness and full commitment so that desired outcome can be reached," said Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.
But as India insists, the dialogue process can only move forward in a violence-free atmosphere. The question is whether Pakistan's latest moves will make the difference.
Pakistan on Saturday reiterated that any arrest of Saeed had nothing to do with the 26/11 attacks. What's more? The evidence supplied by India linking Hafiz Saeed to the attacks is not enough.
As an example, the statement of Ajmal Kasab, the terrorist caught in Mumbai, is apparently not enough for courts in Pakistan since he cannot be cross examined in the country.
Is this Pakistan's attempt to break the current deadlock a week before the next major India-Pakistan meeting?
First, on Friday, Pakistan charged Saeed under anti-terror laws for inciting jihad domestically. And now, in the latest response to India's latest dossier on the Mumbai attack investigations, there is no mention of charging Saeed.
"We have arrested two people after Sharm al Sheikh. And we are committed to fighting terror," said Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
Neither the charging of Saeed nor the reply to the dossier address India's key demand of prosecuting Saeed for his role in the Mumbai attacks.
In fact, even though Saeed can be jailed under the domestic terrorism charges, his lawyer is confident they won't stick.
And India is likely to press ahead with its demand to convict Saeed, who is believed to have masterminded the 26/11 attacks.
"We are concerned immediately with the terror attacks on Mumbai. As long as that doesn't find any place in the FIR (police case filed by Pakistan against Hafiz Mohammad Saeed), well, India certainly would request upon Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of attacks on Mumbai," said External Affairs Minister S M Krishna.
Indian and Pakistani foreign secretaries are scheduled to meet in New York next week ahead of talks between Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmud Qureshi, on the sidelines of the UN general assembly.
"Expectations are that Pakistan should focus in a meaningful manner on issue of terrorism. Been consistently stated to Pakistan side with sincerity by government of India, our expectation and hope that Pakistan will address concerns with full seriousness and full commitment so that desired outcome can be reached," said Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.
But as India insists, the dialogue process can only move forward in a violence-free atmosphere. The question is whether Pakistan's latest moves will make the difference.
