Khurshid doesn't see Malik's remark as Pak's policy

India today dismissed Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik's controversial remarks during his visit to New Delhi, saying they cannot be taken as a formal policy statement of his country.

Malik had made several contentious remarks during his visit, including equating the Mumbai terrorist attacks with the Babri Masjid demolition and describing Lashkar-e-Taeba terrorist Abu Jundal as an Indian intelligence operative.

"If the Pakistan President said it, I would have put it in a different category. Leaders of Pakistan will articulate matters in different ways but I don't think it would have been a discussed, thought out, carefully worded statement. This is something he may would have felt, responded in heat of a moment but I would not think it would be a formal articulation on behalf of Pakistan," External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid told PTI.

 

"It is not that he is nobody. He is an important part of the Pakistan government. But I think you should not take it as formal policy statement of Pakistan at this stage," Khurshid said.

He was asked about Malik's comments equating Mumbai terror attack to Babri Masjid demolition which the Pakistani minister seemed to have retracted later.

Khurshid also said Pakistan's selective approach on bringing to justice those involved in the Mumbai carnage was "not acceptable". He questioned why 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed was yet to be hauled up.