Pakistan, India must eradicate common enemies: Malik

Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Sunday said the people and governments in Pakistan and India wanted to live in peace and harmony, but they would have to identify, face and eradicate forces hampering their progress towards that goal.
Talking to reporters after attending an event at the Observer Research Foundation, Malik said, “We will have to convey a strong message to the terrorists, extremists and criminals, who are common enemies of our economy, peace and prosperity. We will have to face, identify and eradicate those third forces that are creating problems in the way of bilateral harmony”. “We have no option except peace. We should raise a slogan of peace, friendship and love to end the atmosphere of blame-games. I got a very good response after meeting leaders, people and media here. I have a firm view that both sides want peace, but we will have to work out a road map,” added Malik.
The interior minister also requested reporters to highlight stories and reports about bilateral peace and harmony and not promote provoking stories by twisting the statement of leaders from either side. He also emphasised that the visa agreement recently signed between both countries would prove to be a historical step towards building up more vibrant bilateral relations. “The interaction between the two ministries and the governments has culminated into our visa agreement, which will create people to people contacts which was very important for peace building,” said Malik. Earlier, in an interview with Times of India, Malik claimed that Abu Jundal, the mastermind behind the Mumbai attacks was in fact an Indian and was working for an Indian intelligence agency at the time of the 26/11 attacks.
“Abu Jundal is an Indian. We are also curious as to how he and others landed in Pakistan. He was a known criminal. He worked as a source for an Indian intelligence agency. I am not saying this. He himself has said so. I have seen records,” Malik said in the interview. Malik also underlined the involvement of two other Indians, including Ansari (Fahimuddin) in the 26/11 attack, who had been to Pakistan. “We have to figure out whether all these non-state actors from the two sides are acting at the instance of a third power. You are aware that things had taken an alarming turn, with both countries amassing their troops on the border. Things would have been worse if the leadership on both sides had not shown maturity,” said Malik. Denying the charge that Pakistan was reluctant to get to the bottom of the conspiracy behind 26/11, specifically when all evidence was there on Pakistani soil, Malik said the trial would have been completed by now if a judicial commission from Pakistan had been allowed to cross-examine the four crucial Indian witnesses in the Mumbai attacks case when it had visited India in March 2012.