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Act on terror, PM tells Pervez
Manmohan was "disturbed" at "external links" of terrorist groups with Delhi blasts. Blow-by-blow|Pics|Say here
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday minced no words when Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf called him to express his condolences over the deaths in the Delhi blasts. Short of directly accusing Pakistan, Singh said he was “disturbed” at indications of “external linkages” of terrorist groups with the blasts.
The PM told Musharraf that India “was outraged at these heinous acts of terrorism”. According to a statement, Singh told Musharraf, “India expects Pakistan to act against terrorism directed at India.”
“Violence against defenceless civilians can never be justified,” the PM said. “Terrorism would never weaken India's resolve or our commitment to the country's unity and territorial integrity.”
During the 10-minute conversation, Singh reminded Musharraf of Pakistan’s commitment to end cross-border terrorism against India, the PM’s media advisor, Sanjaya Baru, said.
Earlier on Monday, speaking to foreign correspondents in Rawalpindi, Musharraf extended “unequivocal” support to India in the investigation of the “dastardly terrorist attack”.
Musharraf said “Pakistan fully condoles the Government of India” for the “dastardly terrorist attack”.
He added that India would get "total and unequivocal support from Pakistan in any investigation that India would like to carry out" into Saturday's blasts.
Pakistan, however, rejected Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's comments that there were indications the blasts had links with militant groups in Pakistan. "Unless they share the evidence with us, it remains a mere claim which we cannot accept," Pakistan foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told AFP in Islamabad.
It was clear the terrorist attacks had "considerably strained" the bilateral peace process, analysts said, even though the two countries had managed to reach agreement on opening five points along the LoC to assist the rehabilitation of the earthquake victims.
Saturday's talks between foreign ministry officials of both countries almost broke down after news of the terrorist attacks in Delhi reached Islamabad.
