We are not weak, Pakistan tells India

Karachi News.Net
Thursday 22nd October, 2009 (IANS)

Pakistan, being a nuclear state, was not weak and knew how to retaliate, the country's interior minister says.

Speaking to reporters here Wednesday, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said India 'threatened' every three months to attack India, adding: 'We are a nuclear state and not so weak; rather, we know how to retaliate.'

He also said that India should furnish any fresh evidence it has about an impending 26/11-style attack so that Pakistan could take preventive action in case any of its citizens were known to be involved in its planning and execution.

'I ask the Indian prime minister that if they have any information about more Mumbai-like attacks they should share it with Pakistan and we will look into it and would get back in 48 hours. But if India does not share anything then they would be responsible for any incident,' The News Thursday quoted him as saying.

He also said Pakistan would definitely take action against terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed if he was found guilty, but without any evidence the government could not take action against any citizen.

Saeed, who India says masterminded the 26/11 Mumbai carnage, had been placed under house arrest last December after the UN, acting under US and Indian pressure, had banned the Jamaat-ud Daawa (JuD) that the LeT had morphed into.

The Lahore High Court released him in June citing lack of evidence. The Supreme Court has indefinitely postponed a hearing on an appeal against this. Thereafter, two cases were filed against Saeed under the anti-terrorism act. The Lahore High Court overturned this, saying the UN might have banned the JuD but the Pakistani government had not.

India has submitted six dossiers to Pakistan on the alleged involvement of Saeed and others from this country in the Nov 26-29, 2008 attacks that claimed the lives of more than 170 people, including 26 foreigners.

Pakistan has also arrested seven LeT operatives, including its commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and communications specialist Zarrar Shah. Their trial, however, has suffered a setback with the judge Wednesday expressing his intention of stepping down.

Malik also repeated his charge of India's alleged involvement in the militancy in Balochistan.

'I have time and again said there is Indian involvement in Balochistan and we have evidence, which could be shared with India, if they agree to come and sit with us,' Malik maintained.

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