Pakistan promises to punish perpetrators of 2008 Mumbai carnage

Nov 26, 2010, 9:45 GMT

Islamabad - Pakistan on Friday expressed its resolve to bring the perpetrators of 2008's Mumbai terrorist attacks to justice as India observed the second anniversary of the assault on its financial capital.

'It is our desire to punish those people who are involved in this,' Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters in the central city of Multan.

He said Pakistan has been cooperating with India, exchanging information with the aim of achieving progress on punishing the culprits.

However, Qureshi's comments were made a day after India charged its neighbour with a 'lack of progress' in bringing militant leaders behind the attacks to justice.

A 'strongly worded' diplomatic note was issued to the Pakistan embassy in New Delhi, urging Islamabad to 'fulfil its obligation and commitment' to take action against the plotters of the attacks, which left 166 people dead, India's PTI news agency reported, quoting official sources.

The attacks, which began November 26, 2008, and lasted three days, targeted Mumbai's main railway station, tourist destinations, a Jewish centre and two hotels.

India blamed the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group and demanded immediate action against those involved. Pakistan arrested seven suspects, including the alleged mastermind, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.

The trial of the suspects has progressed at a snail's pace at a local anti-terrorism court, bringing criticism from India about Pakistan's seriousness about punishing them.

India has also blamed its neighbour for harbouring terrorist groups operating in Indian-administered Kashmir in Pakistan-based training camps.

Qureshi said Pakistan was not supporting any organization involved in acts of terrorism and the country's top leadership was serious about helping bring peace and stability to the region.

The attacks have soured ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, which have fought three wars since their independence from Britain in 1947, and all efforts to revive their peace process have failed.

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