Pakistan offers India help in probe but demands end to blaming without concrete evidence

Prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has asked India to stop blaming Pakistan without any evidence.

He said this while addressing at the meeting of the federal cabinet here on Saturday.

He said that Pakistan is ready for cooperating with India in investigating the Mumbai attacks as this is the need of the hour to cooperate with each other.

He said that the Indian government should not be made a toy in the hands of the militants.

President Asif Ali Zardari Saturday said action will be taken against an individual or group if concrete evidence is obtained regarding their involvement in the violent acts carried out in Mumbai.

Talking to an Indian TV channel, the President clarified that Pakistan itself offered to send ISI Chief to India to provide help in investigating Mumbai terror acts and termed reports regarding India’s request in this regard as ‘misunderstanding’.

He expressed Pakistan’s readiness towards cooperation between intelligence agencies for probing Mumbai attacks. However, he said, any cooperation will be extended keeping in view Pakistan’s own interests.

“Let the investigations into the Mumbai violence complete, let it arrive at some conclusion, only then something could be said,” President Zardari asserted.

He said even his own life and Pakistan is facing serious threat.

Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi Saturday said Pakistan offers unconditional support and assistance to unearth the hands behind the barbaric acts of violence and terrorism in India.

Giving a press briefing after the Cabinet’s meeting here, the Foreign Minister said the cabinet was unanimous in condemning the acts of terrorism in the neighbouring country.

He said the cabinet offered condolences to bereaved Indian families.

We are also victims of the scourge of terrorism and we want to convey this to our neighbor, India, said Shah Mehmood Qureshi who returned from India earlier today.

He said the cabinet feels that finger pointing and coming to hasty decisions is playing into the hands of the common enemy.

He said Pakistan attaches highest importance to good and friendly relations with India. Keeping unity is the most important thing in these challenging times, he added.

“Pakistan extends full moral and material support to the Indian government ….. we stand shoulder to shoulder with Indian people to defeat this menace.”