British Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Friday provided more evidences about Mumbai attacks to Pakistan sent by India and urged Pakistan government to take further and faster steps to ensure immediate prosecution of the culprits.
He was addressing a press conference at UK High Commission here after holding series of meetings with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Interior Advisor Rehman Malik and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Miliband was tight-lipped about the evidences at the press conference he conveyed to Pakistani authorities on behalf of India however, later he shared it with some select journalists at the residence of the British High Commissioner.
He reportedly told journalists that Pakistan has to take serious and faster actions against the culprits in light of the evidences India has provided to Pakistan through him. He warned that Pakistan would face the consequences if serious action against terrorists was not taken in light of these evidences.
The top British diplomat admitted that Pakistani authorities are serious in taking action against the elements responsible for Mumbai carnage. "I believe that Pakistani authorities are committed and serious in taking action against the responsible people, who killed over 100 people and injured many more belonging to different states and religion in Mumbai last year," he maintained.
Miliband said that I am not talking here on behalf of India rather I am talking on behalf of UK as our citizens were also victims of that gruesome terror act in November last. "Our three citizens were killed and seven others injured in the incident," he added.
He urged Pakistan to start immediate prosecution of the arrested elements belonging to the defunct religious outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. Immediate action, he said, would be in the larger interest of Pakistan and international community.
"There will be long-term, serious consequences if government of Pakistan fails to prosecute the arrested elements, who belong to Pakistan," he added. "The government has to take faster and further action to build the confidence of international community," he maintained.
To a question, the British Foreign Secretary said that Pakistan and India must resume intensive talks to settle the Kashmir issue through negotiations. At the same time, he said, wounds of Indians are very deep after the Mumbai attacks and it would take time to heal.
"Prosecution and punishment of the responsible elements of Mumbai attacks and rooting out of the terrorist networks in Pakistan is fundamental to resume the suspended talks," he maintained. He said that terrorists on both sides want to destabilise the countries.
Commenting on the Gaza situation, he said that Britain has been calling for immediate cease-fire and implementation of UNSC resolution there from the day one. A hand out issued by the Foreign Office here said that British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi discussed bilateral relations, matters relating to the European Union, the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Forum, counter-terrorism, situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan's relations with India and Israeli attacks on Gaza.
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