India welcomes end to political turmoil in Pakistan

Mar 16, 2009, 12:12 GMT

New Delhi - India on Monday welcomed the end of the political crisis in Pakistan and said it hoped that the government in Islamabad will be stable so it can devote its attention to fighting terrorism.

'What is happening in Pakistan is essentially its internal matter. Normally we do not comment on internal affairs of any country,' India's External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told PTI news agency as the crisis in the neighbouring country seemed to subside.

'At the same time, it is in our interest if democratic government is in place in Pakistan, which acts as a bulwark against terrorism and extremism,' he added.

Mukherjee said India hoped that the 'internal confrontation of Pakistan will come to an end so that it could devote attention to the fight against terrorism.'

He maintained that the fight against terrorism is in Pakistan's own interest as it 'is the biggest menace to peace and development.'

Mukherjee's comments came hours after the government of Asif Ali Zardari succumbed to intense pressure from lawyers and opposition party activists demanding the reinstatement of Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry as Pakistan's Chief Justice.

A few days ago, New Delhi said it was monitoring the political crisis in the country with concern, as cross-border terrorism affected India directly.

November terrorist attacks on Mumbai, in which over 170 people, including 26 foreign nationals, were killed were carried out by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group.

At the time, Mukherjee had said New Delhi wanted peace in the neighbouring country, since instability in Pakistan will affect the fight against terrorism.