Hand over Dawood, others, Inderfurth tells Islamabad

NEW DELHI: Former US assistant secretary of state Karl J Inderfurth has said Pakistan should hand over Indian nationals such as underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and continue to take tough action against terror elements, even as Islamabad continued to dilly dally on India���s terror dossier.

After making positive noises, Islamabad, taking advantage of the change in US administration, is threatening to go back to its old position of denials. At the moment, the Obama administration���s focus is on Pakistan through the Afghanistan perspective. Though Senate hearings are underway on the Mumbai terror attacks, the Obama administration is yet to make any statements on the Pakistani links in the Mumbai terror attacks. India has also been waiting for Pakistan to respond to the dossier.

Mr Inderfurth said that in his view the Obama administration would largely work behind the scenes between India and Pakistan. ���I think America would work behind the scenes,������ he said. Pakistan should cooperate with India and ensure that the training facilities that were shut down should remain. It should not follow a policy of `catch and release,��� he said.

Mr Inderfurth, who is currently professor at Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, also made the point that there should be greater cooperation between India and the US to bring stability in the region. ���The focus of the international community including India is to stabilise situation in Afghanistan,������ he said.