Contrary signals from Pakistan

Contrary signals are coming from Pakistan ahead of foreign minister SM Krishna’s meeting with Shah Mahmood  Khureshi in New York later this month, reinforcing the India’s frustrations on multiple centres of  power in Islamabad.

Pakistan’s interior minister Rehman Mallik met Indian high commissioner Sharat Sabharwal on Saturday with details about the on-going investigations on the Mumbai case. He handed over the fifth dossier to the envoy. Under intense pressure from the US and India, Islamabad has also filed a first information report against Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, alleged by New Delhi to be the kingpin of the Mumbai terror attacks.

Though booked under the tough anti terror laws, the charges are for preaching jihad and not for his role in the Mumbai carnage. Foreign Minister SM Krishna has said that India will be satisfied only when Saeed is booked for his role in the Mumbai attacks.

However the JUD chief’s lawyers have already publicly refuted the charges and he could well go underground. Hafiz Saeed’s lawyer has said the FIR against him and his associate are ridiculous and does not come within the ambit of the anti terror provisions.

While the civilian government led by President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani is keen on peace with India and wants action against those involved with the Mumbai terror attacks, their hands are tied as the ISI and the army generally calls the shots on the crucial India policy. Realising the hopelessness of the situation New Delhi has also for the first time opened a line to the ISI chief Shuja Pasha.

Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, taking questions on Pakistan during a briefing for the Prime Minister’s G-20 visit, was circumspect in her references to her meeting with  Salman Bashir in New York. She said the dates have not yet been worked out. But Rao and Bashir will set the agenda for the meeting of the two foreign ministers.

“Our expectation is that Pakistan should focus seriously on our concerns on the issue of terrorism targeted at India. This has been consistently stated to the Pakistani side by the government of India,’’ she said. “It is our hope that Pakistan will address concerns with full commitment so that desired outcomes can be reached.’’

And on questions on ceasefire violations Rao said, “It is the responsibility of Pakistan that whoever is responsible doesn’t have the license to carry out acts that destabliise the situation,’’ she said . “The composite dialogue is contingent on an atmosphere free of violence,’’ she said.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has promised that Islamabad would take action against alleged Mumbai attack mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafeez Saeed. “We’ll take action against Hafiz Saeed,” Zardari said while responding to a query from a television channel.

At the same time an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan conducting the trial of seven suspects linked with the Mumbai terror attacks, including LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, has adjourned the hearing till September 26.