Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said Pakistan has not been playing fair with India and indicated that Islamabad had influenced the US trial of terror suspect Tahawwur Rana.
“Yes, of course it did. Pakistan has not been playing fair with us. And we would expect in the larger interest of our bilateral relationship Pakistan, must come clean on this issue,” Krishna told reporters in Bangalore when asked if India believed that the trial in the US had hit a roadblock because of Pakistan, reported IANS.
He pointed out that the trial in the US court had established substantial linkages between Rana and David Coleman Headley who has disclosed links between Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Mumbai terror attack. “The fact remains that throughout the last few months when the trial was going and in reports of evidence there were substantial linkages between these two facing trial in the Mumbai attack. This is something which Pakistan must very seriously consider,” he said.
The minister sought a transparent probe into the Mumbai attack in Pakistan.
“It is something Pakistan must consider seriously. It is in its own interest and in the interest of the region and that of the bilateral relations that the conspiracy which began in Mumbai attack has to be investigated in a transparent manner,” Krishna said. The minister said the acquittal of Rana was not satisfying for India. “The judicial process has taken its view, a particular view, which we may not be very satisfied with,” he said about the ruling that has “disappointed” India.
Krishna stressed that India could not do much about getting Rana convicted in the US but would pursue his case in India. “You cannot dictate to the judicial process. Well that is the law of the land, you are dealing with a foreign country and naturally you have to pursue further.” Krishna’s reminder to Pakistan to come clean on Mumbai terror comes even as the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan gear up for talks towards the end of the month. The talks between top diplomats could set the stage for talks between the foreign ministers of the two countries, the first such meeting at that level since the failed talks in mid-July last year.
