 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Pakistan on Thursday rejected India's assertion that state agencies were involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, saying New Delhi should share any evidence it has so that a thorough investigation can be conducted by Pakistani authorities.
"We totally reject any allegation of involvement of any of our state elements. Terrorism is a common enemy and both countries have an ongoing cooperation in this field," Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Khan said during a weekly news briefing.
Responding to a question about India's contention that terror suspect Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal had revealed that state actors were involved in the Mumbai incident, Khan said, "We are willing to cooperate and help in any manner possible. If they (India) have any information particular to any person or incident, they are most welcome to share it with us and we will look into it".
Khan noted that Pakistan Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani had told a news conference in Delhi that 'Pakistan attaches great importance to the ongoing cooperation in the field of counter-terrorism'.
This cooperation is in the mutual interest of both countries and Pakistan has told India that it will thoroughly investigate any evidence, he said.
Jilani made the remarks in Delhi at the conclusion of two-day talks with his Indian counterpart Ranjan Mathai. Terror suspect Zabiuddin Ansari, who was arrested after he was deported to India by Saudi Arabia, has told investigators that he was present at a control room in Karachi from where several top terrorists had guided the attackers in Mumbai.
Indian officials have also said that Ansari travelled to Saudi Arabia on a Pakistani passport. In response to another question, Khan said Pakistan and the United States were working on an agreement to cover various aspects of bilateral relations, including the transportation of supplies for North Atlantic Treaty Alliance forces in Afghanistan through Pakistani territory.
Earlier this week, Pakistan ended a seven-month blockade of supply routes to Afghanistan after the US apologised for a cross-border NATO air strike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last November.
The two countries had held extensive talks on technical issues and exchanged several proposals, Khan said without giving details.
The two sides are also working on an arrangement to deal with the supply routes and 'to make things clear and convenient' to facilitate the transportation of supplies, he said.
Pakistan is also expecting the US to soon release a 'substantial amount' of aid that has been held up, Khan said. At the same time, Pakistan will continue talks with the US
to end drone strikes in the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan as these attacks were counter-productive and a violation of international law, Khan said.