Washington, July 13: Pakistan's Foreign Minister
bristled at suggestions that his country bore responsibility
for the Mumbai terror attacks that have killed at least 200
people, saying no cause justifies killing women and children.
''You can't really blame everything on Pakistan; it's
very unfair,'' Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri told in an interview yesterday.
''It's very unfair to attribute all acts of
lawlessness or violence to Pakistan, because India is a vast
country. There are lots of people who have their own agendas,
not just in Kashmir.''
India has demanded that Pakistan dismantle the
''infrastructure of terrorism'' on territory it controls,
which would include two-fifths of disputed Kashmir, but it
has not directly accused its neighbouring rival for the
attacks.
In a sweeping interview, Kasuri also expressed
optimism about a proposed U.S. sale of fighter jets to
Pakistan, and countered claims that Pakistan was hindering
the fight against nuclear proliferation.
Many in India suspect Tuesday's attacks were the work
of Kashmiri militants that New Delhi charges are trained,
armed and financed by Islamabad.
Kasuri condemned ''unreservedly the despicable acts
that took place in Bombay. No cause justifies the killing of
women and children and innocent people.''
Pakistan, he said, is prepared to do whatever it can
to fight terrorism and has ''banned many organizations. We
are watching everybody. Anybody indulging in any act of
terrorism will not be spared.''
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, July 13, 2006, 00:00