Sun, Nov 1 05:22 AM
In a firm backing of India's position, the US has brushed aside Pakistani allegations of New Delhi's involvement in the ethnic strife in Balochistan saying there was no evidence to suggest any Indian "mischief" in the region.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, during an interaction with Pakistani newspaper editors on her just concluded visit to the country, also praised the restraint shown by the Indian government in the immediate aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks. She also advised the civilian and military leadership in Pakistan to speak in one voice and work together to resolve their issues.
Responding to a comment by one of the participants at the interaction that many Pakistanis believed that India was doing "some mischief" in Balochistan, Clinton said: "Well, first of all, we have no evidence of that. I mean, we just have no evidence of that."
Asked whether the Pakistani government had shared with her any evidence of India's involvement in Balochistan, she said: "Not that I have seen. Others in my government may have. I have not seen it. I have not seen anything like that. So I can't agree with you because I personally don't have any information."
The alleged involvement in Balochistan had become a major political controversy in India a few months ago because of a reference to the Balochistan issue in the joint statement that had emerged out of the Sharm-el Shaikh meeting of the two Prime Ministers. India has repeatedly denied that it has any role to play in the ethnic violence there.
Clinton said the joint statement already addressed the Pakistani concerns on the issue. "I know when Prime Minister (Manmohan) Singh met with... I can't remember whether it was your President or your Prime Minister...and he specifically addressed that charge. And I know what Singh said and I know what he said when he met with your leadership."
The Secretary of State said even if the Indian involvement was assumed to be true, it was another reason for the two countries to sit down and start the composite dialogue process.
Talking about the Mumbai terrorist attacks, Clinton said it was carried out by elements that were opposed to progress on the composite dialogue process.
"Why do you think they attacked Mumbai? They attacked Mumbai because there was too much progress going on between India and Pakistan. They don't want India and Pakistan to come to any kind of accommodation," she said, while praising India's response to the attacks vis-à-vis Pakistan.
"I know that the effort that Prime Minister Singh put forth to avoid a reaction was extraordinary, and it was in the middle of his election. The voices were loud: We have to retaliate. And he would not permit that to happen."
Pak court declares Kasab, 13 others 'absconders'
Islamabad: A Pakistani anti-terror court conducting the trial of seven suspects in connection with the Mumbai attacks on Friday declared 14 other accused, including Ajmal Kasab, as "absconders" and adjourned the matter till November 7. During Saturday's proceedings, Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan declared 14 other suspects linked to the attacks — including Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive by Indian authorities during the strikes — as "absconders," sources said. Details of the other 13 were not immediately available. Khwaja Sultan, the lawyer representing LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi — one of the seven suspects arrested by Pakistani authorities — told PTI that Judge Awan adjourned the case till next Saturday. PTI
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It is high time for Pakistan to share
concrete proofs with US so they can investigate within Pakistan like they did in India and prosecute criminals
... otherwise you people should know no one want to believe in typical Pak fantasies or stories
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