New Delhi: BJP on Friday welcomed Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik's visit to India but emphasised that he should ensure that the masterminds of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack living in his country are handed over if ties between the two nations are to improve further.
"Malik is welcome to India. But the people in India are sad that though Ajmal Kasab was hanged, the real masterminds of the Mumbai terror attack are moving about freely in Pakistan," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters here.
Malik will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde to discuss bilateral issues.
"Even the Pakistan cricket team is coming to India. But if the team of Masood Azhar (26/11 mastermind) also comes to India it would help mutual relations between the two countries. Malik should have brought him and others in the list given by us in his plane," Hussain said.
He insisted that relations between the two countries will not improve merely by shaking hands with each other but by taking concrete steps.
"Malik should tell India during his visit as to when Masood and the other conspirators against our country will be handed over by Pakistan," Hussain said.
India is likely to flag this issue during Malik's stay in the country.
PTI
First Published: Friday, December 14, 2012, 18:21