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Gilani assures Iran to help track down Jundullah chief
Amid mounting pressure from Iran, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today said his country will fully cooperate with Tehran to "help track down and punish" those responsible for a deadly suicide attack that killed top commanders of the elite Revolutionary Guards.
Amid mounting pressure from Iran, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today said his country will fully cooperate with Tehran to "help track down and punish" those responsible for a deadly suicide attack that killed top commanders of the elite Revolutionary Guards.
Gilani gave the assurance during a meeting with Iran's Interior Minister Mostafa Muhammad Najjar, who arrived here
yesterday to press for action against Pakistan-based elements of the Jundullah militant group that was behind the attack.
The premier said Pakistan had in the past arrested some criminals and extradited them to Iran. He also called for
enhanced intelligence-sharing between the two countries.
Pakistani officials have said Jundullah chief Abdolmalek Rigi's brother was among those handed over to Iran.
Shortly after his arrival in Pakistan, Najjar said Iran had documentary evidence that showed Rigi "travels
readily to Pakistan". He reiterated the demand that Pakistan hand over Rigi to Iran.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has denied that Rigi is in Pakistan. He said Islamabad had information that the
Jundullah chief is currently in Afghanistan and this has been shared with Tehran.
He suicide attack in Iran's Sistan-Baluchistan region, which borders Pakistan, has strained ties between the two neighbours at a time when Islamabad's attention is focussed on the military operation against Taliban in South Waziristan.
