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Qureshi for intelligence-sharing hotline between two
countries
Senior Reporter
Islamabad—Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi has
underlined the need for establishing a hotline between Pakistan and
India for intelligence sharing to effectively meet the challenge of
terrorism.
In an Interview, he said terrorism is a common enemy and a serious
global challenge. The intelligence agencies of Pakistan and India
should cooperate and jointly combat the menace, he said, pointing
out that a joint anti-terrorism mechanism is already in existence.
He offered all possible cooperation to India in investigation into
Thursday’s deadly terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
Regarding his meeting with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee
he said they had discussed a host of issues including trade, Chenab
water row, cultural exchanges and enhancing people to people
contacts between the two countries.
In Chandigarh, Qureshi told mediapersons that alleging involvement
of Pakistan in the Mumbai terror incidents was incorrect as “we
ourselves are victims of terrorism.” “To involve Pakistan in the
Mumbai attacks without any proof is incorrect and unjustified and
such allegations should be avoided which could prove detrimental to
the peace process between the two countries”, Qureshi said while
responding to questions posed by Indian journalists here on
Thursday.
He said Pakistan is against all forms of terrorism and itself is a
major victim of this menace. He added that both countries should
work together for ending this menace, which takes lives of innocents
and hampers economic growth.
He said we condemn attacks in Mumbai and expressed grief over the
loss of precious lives in violent and gory incidents.
He said people in India know that we face and suffer from these
attacks on daily basis in Pakistan.
“We faced incident of similar kind in Marriott Hotel Islamabad
recently. We can understand the anxiety, shock and horror which has
been generated all over India”.
He said that Terrorism is not local or regional phenomenon it is a
global phenomena and all civilized societies would have to join
hands and pool in their resources to deal with this threat he added.
He added that Pakistan itself is a victim of terrorism and has given
innumerable sacrifices in fight against it. He said we are playing a
role of frontline in combating this menace. However some elements
for their own nefarious deigns want to pin the Mumbai attacks on
Pakistan and such elements should refrain from such allegations,
which could prove detrimental to the relations between both the
countries.
Terrorism is not local or regional phenomenon it is a global
phenomena and all civilized societies would have to join hands and
pool in their resources to deal with this threat he added. Talking
to a private TV channel, Foreign Minister asked India to wait for
proof from an investigation before blaming anyone for involvement in
the Mumbai terror attacks. The statement was a response to a
televised speech by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in which he
said that those behind coordinated attacks against Mumbai were based
‘outside the country’ and warned ‘neighbours’ who provide a haven to
anti-India militants. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood
Qureshi, in New Delhi for peace talks said, nobody should be blamed
until investigations were complete.
‘Our experience in the past tells us that we should not jump to
conclusions,’ Qureshi said.
Qureshi said that Singh had constituted a federal investigation team
to look into the attacks on luxury hotels, restaurants and the main
train station in India’s commercial heart, which have killed at
least 100 people and injured about 300. ‘We should not go for a
knee-jerk reaction,’ Qureshi said, adding he would meet Singh on
Friday and express condolences, solidarity and support to him and
the people of India. ‘We need to be calm, we need to be composed and
we need to be supportive of each other.’ Qureshi said Pakistan and
India needed to fight terrorism together, saying ‘this is a global
menace... we have to join hands to deal with this menace
collectively.’
India has in the past frequently accused Pakistan of backing Islamic
militants active in India, although the Prime Minister did not
identify any country by name during his speech.
Earlier addressing the international conference on ‘Cooperative
Development Peace and Security in South Asia’ in Chandigarh the FM
said we will have to further strengthen the joint anti terror
mechanism to deal with this scourge.
“I also offer that there should be a direct contact and hotline
established between the intelligence Chiefs of the two countries so
that they can share information and cooperate with each other in a
more effective manner”. Talking about the Kashmir issue he said that
the Kashmir issue should be settled in accordance to wishes of the
people of Kashmir. |
