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| Pakistan not doing enough in 26/11 attack case: PM |
| Lalit K Jha/ PTI / Washington Nov 23, 2009, 11:04 IST |
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Accusing Pakistan of not doing enough to bring to book the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said India does not know whom to deal with in Islamabad as the army is the most powerful force in the neighbouring country.
"No, they (Pakistan) have not done enough," Singh told CNN in an interview which was taken in New Delhi and aired minutes before the Prime Minister arrived in Washington on the first State Visit of the Obama Administration.
"They have taken some steps. I have discussed this matter with (Pakistan) Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, when we met at Sharm al-Sheikh (in Egypt). The joint statement we issued, he assured us Pakistan will do all that is possible to bring to justice the perpetrators of Mumbai massacre," he said.
"But it is our feeling that Pakistan has not done enough. Hafeez Saeed is roaming around freely. Maulana Azhar Masood and other terrorist elements, the Lashkar-e-Toiba, according to Pakistan's own admissions is actively involved in perpetrating massacre in Mumbai, they are moving around freely. The conspiracy took place in Pakistan," Singh said.
He said a "friendly" government in Pakistan, which would be equally determined to tackle terrorism, would take the case to its logical conclusion.
"That is not happening," the Prime Minister said.Asked if he believed the Pakistani Army was serious in tackling terrorists, Singh said he is not certain if the military will take on those elements.
He said India does not clearly know whom to deal with in Pakistan as the Army there was very powerful. India would like democracy to succeed in that country, he said.
"I think the most element force in Pakistan is the army. There is democracy. We would like democracy to succeed and flourish in Pakistan, but we have to recognise that the power today virtually rests with the Army," he said.
The Prime Minister said he does not think that India has a partner in Pakistan today.
"I do not think whether we have a partner right now. I think, when General Pervez Musharraf (was the President) I was to ask him and he said well I am the Army, I represent the armed forces, I represent the people. Now I do not know whom to deal with," he said.
Contending that Pakistan's objective in Afghanistan does does not appear to be "necessarily in harmony" with that of the US, Singh said Islamabad wants that country to become its "backyard".
"Pakistanis sometimes feel that the Americans are short time maximisers that if the pressure continue, they would not have the courage to stay there, they would walk away, that Afghanistan would become a backyard to Pakistan to influence its policies and programmes," he said.
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