Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has urged the Indian media to act very responsibly, avoid blame games to defuse the tension as there is a need to rise above the occasion and join hands to face the threat and menace of terrorism. He said, Pakistan is not involved in any type of terrorism and Pakistan was one of the first countries to strongly condemn the Mumbai terrorist attacks and offer India all possible assistance.
Talking to local newsmen on phone on Monday, he said that maintaining good relations with India is in the interest of Pakistan and India. Qureshi said, "Pakistan has said that its premier intelligence agency will cooperate with India in probing the Mumbai incident as our hands are clean. We have nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of." The foreign minister said Pakistan was itself a victim of terrorism, adding the two countries could jointly defeat it.
"The government feels that good neighbourly relations with India are in the interest of Pakistan," Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, adding that world had lauded Pakistan's role in the fight against extremism and expressed support for the efforts being made by Islamabad to engage New Delhi constructively.
He said that Indian leadership has not blamed Pakistan for involvement in the Mumbai attacks and Pakistan has decided on its own to extend full co-operation and assistance to India in the investigation of incident. He said Pakistan government attaches high importance to having good, friendly and neighbourly relations with India as these relations are necessary for peace and stability in the region.
The foreign minister said the federal cabinet also decided to take into confidence all the political leadership inside and outside the parliament on the evolving situation, following the Mumbai incident and we had contacted almost all the political leaders like Qazi Hussain Ahmed. The foreign minister categorically denied the involvement of any Pakistani particularly any person of southern Punjab in the ghastly act and said that Indian government has not provided any evidence to Pakistan so far regarding the Mumbai incident.
He, however, assured the Indian government that if any proof of evidence against any group will be provided to Pakistan, then government would take action against such groups or individuals. He said, at this stage the Indian government is just suspecting some groups or individuals for their involvement in the Mumbai incident. He said the government of Pakistan and all its institutions are unanimous that Pakistan is not involved in this ghastly act in Mumbai. "We do not have to be defensive and we are not defensive as Pakistan is not involved in this incident," said the foreign minister. He said, "Our hands are clean, there is nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of."
The minister, however, said that India has not fixed any date for sending any officials from Pakistan intelligence agencies therefore, it has not been decided to send any official to India immediately. He said no one should pass any judgement about involvement of anyone in this tragic incident.
The minister said, "It is in Pakistan's and India's interest to defuse and lower the tension. "All state institutions are unanimous, in harmony, in consultations and extending co-operation and supporting each other. About the decision to extend co-operation to India, the foreign minister said the decision has not been taken under any foreign pressure adding that the decision has been taken in national interest.
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