Mumbai not work of state actors: Miliband
Contesting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s assertion that ``official agencies’’ in Pakistan were involved in the Mumbai terror attacks, British foreign secretary David Miliband said that Britain did not believe state players were behind the attacks.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: Contesting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh���s assertion that ``official agencies������ in Pakistan were involved in the Mumbai terror attacks, British foreign secretary David Miliband said that Britain did not believe state players were behind the attacks.
The British government, which is closely involved in the Mumbai terror attack investigations and was among the first countries to publicly blame the Lashkar-e-Toiba for the Mumbai attacks, is clearly not on the same page as the Indian government on the issue of the Mumbai attacks being sponsored by official agencies in Pakistan. Mr Miliband ruled out the involvement of state players and said that the ``relevant������ issue is the approach of the Pakistani government towards the LeT.
``I have said publicly that I do not believe that the attacks were directed by the Pakistani state. And I think it is important to restate that,������ he said, and added, ``What is relevant is the approach of the Pakistani state to the LeT organisation and the way the Pakistani state takes on the menace of the LeT organisation.������
The foreign secretary further said that Britain had conveyed this message to Pakistan, which till now has largely refused to accept the existence of any Pakistani links, either state or non-state, to the Mumbai attacks,.
For India, however, the issue remains not just the dismantling of the terror infrastructure targeted against India but also the problem of continued state support for terror groups. New Delhi believes that the attack of such a magnitude could not have succeeded without the involvement of state players.
But the British refusal to point a finger at the state apparatus also stems from the consideration that Britain cannot afford to alienate the Pakistani establishment particularly the Pakistani military due to the war on terror in Afghanistan. ���...And the truth is that Pakistan is vital for the security of India, but also vital for the security of Afghanistan,������ Mr Miliband said.
However, Britain remains among the countries that have supported India after the Mumbai attacks in putting pressure on Pakistan and helping in the investigations. Mr Miliband also supported the Indian government���s contention that it is time for the Pakistani government to take action against the terror infrastructure and bring the Mumbai attack terrorists to book.
External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, speaking at the joint interaction, reiterated India���s stand that Pakistan must act on the Mumbai attack. ���I hope on the material provided and evidence given, Pakistan will act and ensure that the perpetrators of Mumbai attacks are brought to justice,��� he said.
Strengthening India���s case for seeking the extradition of the Mumbai accused, Mr Miliband acknowledged that Pakistan had a history of people being arrested and let off. ``In this case it is essential that those who have been arrested are brought to justice, and if they are found guilty then properly punished,������ he said reposing faith in the Pakistani legal system.
At the same time the British minister also indicated that the Pakistani military and other parts of the state apparatus needed to support President Asif Ali Zardari in dealing with terror.
``I believe that President Zardari is sincere when he says he wants to tackle the scourge of terrorism in Pakistan.
And I think it is vital that the whole of the Pakistani state machine support him in doing that,������ he said. This supports India���s assessment that there are four power centres in Pakistan out of which the civilian government is the most vulnerable.
The British government, which is closely involved in the Mumbai terror attack investigations and was among the first countries to publicly blame the Lashkar-e-Toiba for the Mumbai attacks, is clearly not on the same page as the Indian government on the issue of the Mumbai attacks being sponsored by official agencies in Pakistan. Mr Miliband ruled out the involvement of state players and said that the ``relevant������ issue is the approach of the Pakistani government towards the LeT.
``I have said publicly that I do not believe that the attacks were directed by the Pakistani state. And I think it is important to restate that,������ he said, and added, ``What is relevant is the approach of the Pakistani state to the LeT organisation and the way the Pakistani state takes on the menace of the LeT organisation.������
The foreign secretary further said that Britain had conveyed this message to Pakistan, which till now has largely refused to accept the existence of any Pakistani links, either state or non-state, to the Mumbai attacks,.
For India, however, the issue remains not just the dismantling of the terror infrastructure targeted against India but also the problem of continued state support for terror groups. New Delhi believes that the attack of such a magnitude could not have succeeded without the involvement of state players.
But the British refusal to point a finger at the state apparatus also stems from the consideration that Britain cannot afford to alienate the Pakistani establishment particularly the Pakistani military due to the war on terror in Afghanistan. ���...And the truth is that Pakistan is vital for the security of India, but also vital for the security of Afghanistan,������ Mr Miliband said.
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However, Britain remains among the countries that have supported India after the Mumbai attacks in putting pressure on Pakistan and helping in the investigations. Mr Miliband also supported the Indian government���s contention that it is time for the Pakistani government to take action against the terror infrastructure and bring the Mumbai attack terrorists to book.
External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, speaking at the joint interaction, reiterated India���s stand that Pakistan must act on the Mumbai attack. ���I hope on the material provided and evidence given, Pakistan will act and ensure that the perpetrators of Mumbai attacks are brought to justice,��� he said.
Strengthening India���s case for seeking the extradition of the Mumbai accused, Mr Miliband acknowledged that Pakistan had a history of people being arrested and let off. ``In this case it is essential that those who have been arrested are brought to justice, and if they are found guilty then properly punished,������ he said reposing faith in the Pakistani legal system.
At the same time the British minister also indicated that the Pakistani military and other parts of the state apparatus needed to support President Asif Ali Zardari in dealing with terror.
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``I believe that President Zardari is sincere when he says he wants to tackle the scourge of terrorism in Pakistan.
And I think it is vital that the whole of the Pakistani state machine support him in doing that,������ he said. This supports India���s assessment that there are four power centres in Pakistan out of which the civilian government is the most vulnerable.
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