Thaindian News

By Ashok Dixit

Onboard Air India One, June 29 (ANI): The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, on Monday said that interaction with the Pakistani leadership in connection with the 26/11 terror attack case would have to be based on trust, but a trust that would have to be verified from time to time.

Responding to a question on what would India’s reaction be if it was confronted by another 26/11 attack from Pakistani soil, Dr. Singh said that last week Home Minister P. Chidambaram had visited Pakistan and conveyed New Delhi’s views on the 26/11 case and on Hafiz Saeed, and had apparently received a favourable response.

“I think there is some hope. As I have said, in dealing with Pakistan, out attitude has to be 1trust-trust but verify.’ So, only time will tell which way it will turn,” Dr. Singh said

The Prime Minister’s statement assumes significance in the wake of India telling Pakistan to catch hold of at least six 26/11 handlers and controllers, including two suspected officers of the Pakistan Army, identified as Brigadier Riaz and Major Abdur Rehman, who continue to have a free run on the Pakistani soil.

Chidambaram has sought immediate action against the Pakistan-based handlers of those who executed the Mumbai attacks - Sajid Mir, Major Abdur Rehman alias Pasha, Brigadier Riaz, Abu Qahafa, Abu al Qama and Abu Hamza.

Chidambaram suggested that Pakistan’s Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) make sincere efforts to seek out the accused and place them under investigation.

He also suggested to his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik that once these handlers are in the police net, they should be questioned to confirm their whereabouts during the 2008 attacks to rule out any alibis.

He also left it to Islamabad to obtain their voice samples and match them with the tapes of 26/11 conversations between the Mumbai attackers and their Pakistan-based handlers furnished by India.

Once the voices match, their complicity would be established beyond doubt, home ministry sources said. (ANI)