Gilani assures PM of terror probe

Sunday, August 3, 2008 at 5:08 am

The meeting between Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gilani and Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh ended with Gilani assuring Singh of taking all possible steps to combat terrorism. The 45 minutes long meeting was a “very frank and candid” one in which Singh said such concerns (ceasefire violations and rising infiltration) of India had to be addressed to allow the relationship to come “back on track” of improvements.

“The Prime Minister (Singh) was relatively frank in expressing his concerns about recent incidents which have had an impact on the relationship and the prospects of the dialogue,” Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told reporters after the meeting on the sidelines of the SAARC Summit. He also added that both Manmohan Singh and Gilani expressed determination for the need to overcome recent developments and move back on track to improve relations.

While talking about the “recent incidents”, Singh specifically told Gilani about the July 7 Kabul Embassy attack regarding which there is evidence of involvement of Pakistan’s ISI. Singh also referred to violation of ceasefire by Pakistani forces and increased infiltration across the LoC. Responding to Singh’s concerns, Gilani said he would conduct an “independent investigation” into the Kabul attack, Menon said.

Before the meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that in order to improve bilateral relations with Pakistan, an atmosphere free from terror is required. The PM also went ahead and highlighted the need for an implementation in both letter and spirit by Pakistan to end terror.

Manmohan Singh’s statement confirms what is exactly expected from the Pakistani government, in terms of tackling persistent terror threats from across the border. This is the first time the government has made a direct comment and right noises to ensure that national security remains a top priority.

The on-going confidence building measures undertaken by both the nations is aimed at softening the border activities, which reflects animosity. The PM wants to end terrorism with the assistance of Pakistan’s commitment to support India.

(With inputs from PTI)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Gilani assures PM of terror probe

From World:

Todays news from World News Alerts

Advertisement

Email Subscription

Advertisement