Posted on 12/06/2008 5:18:10 PM PST by mojito
WASHINGTON/ NEW DELHI: Pakistan has agreed to a 48-hour timetable set by India and the United States to formulate a plan to take action against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and to arrest at least three Pakistanis who Indian authorities say are linked to the multiple attacks in Mumbai, a top US daily reported, citing a top Pakistani official. ( Watch )
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivities, said India had also asked Pakistan to arrest and hand over LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhwi and former chief of Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Hamid Gul, in connection with the probe into the Mumbai carnage, which killed nearly 200 people, the Washington Post reported on Saturday.
This development comes in the wake of reports in the Indian media that some top Pakistan military and intelligence officials had admitted that the perpetrators of Mumbai were Pakistani terrorists owing allegiance to the Lashkar. According to the reports, Pakistan officials admitted this in Islamabad before Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chief of Staff, who conveyed it to government officials in India.
The agency report from Washington, quoting the newspaper, said that Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is expected to consult his nation's top military and intelligence officials on how to follow through on India's demands. "The next 48 hours are critical," the official was quoted as saying by the influential US daily.
A week after the terrorist assault in the Indian financial capital, Indian officials have stepped up their efforts to make a clear case of link between the carnage and Pakistani elements. According to the Post, a high-level source in the Indian government, speaking on condition of anonymity, said India has "clear and incontrovertible proof" that LeT had carried out the attacks and that the group's leaders were trained and supported by Pakistan's ISI.
"We have the names of the handlers. And we know that there is a close relationship between the Lashkar and the ISI," the source said.
Indian and US investigators have identified Yusuf Muzammil, an LeT leader, as the mastermind behind the attacks. US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice has already asked Pakistan to turn in Muzammil and other suspects, the report said.
Mullen visited India on Thursday when he is said to have conveyed this to officials in India. He had visited Islamabad before that. In India, he met NSA M K Narayanan, defence minister A K Antony and navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta. "It's possible that in the face of international pressure some of them admitted in a private conversation what we believe is a fact. Even if it is true, we don't think it is enough," said an Indian official.
According to Indian officials, US is convinced about the involvement of Pakistani nationals because it has been able to establish the identity of lone terrorist survivor Ajmal Amir Kasab and his family members living in Pakistan. The US also has access to evidence to prove where some of the perpetrators trained in Pakistan.
Earlier, Mullen had asked Pakistan's top leadership to "investigate aggressively any and all possible ties to groups based in Pakistan", the US embassy had said in a statement. While taking note of the recent success of Pakistani security forces in operations against militants on the Afghan border, Mullen "also encouraged Pakistani leaders to take more and more concerted action against militant extremists elsewhere in the country", the statement said.
If they do anything they’ll probably say, “Yeah we killed em...now go away”.....
It's interesting to note that note only did Rice go to India, the CJOS did as well.
I think President Bush may be planning on going out with a bang...
L
There needs to be extensive elint and targetting recon before any move is made.
The Pakis aren't moving any forces to the Indian border yet.
Indians want drones, we may be deploying them real soon.
Considerable evidence mounting, Mumbai events are being reconstructed, some time needed for that, to make a case to the UN for action and sanctions. Possible the Pakis may turn over some of the planners and will be given time for that.
“the CJOS did as well.”
It kind of got buried in the article, but that seems to clearly show the importance of the talks going on now.
I think there will be some fireworks in Karachi in the very near future.
L
“said India had also asked Pakistan to arrest and hand over ... former chief of Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Hamid Gul”
Remarkable.
That’s good, India has demonstrated alot of restraint. It’s also in Pak’s best interest to take them out. Pakistan really needs to take a stand because whatever kind of balancing act they are trying to maintain in their country is just not working.
I just read today that militants in Pakistan caught fire & destroyed about 170 UN vehicles carrying supplies to soldiers in Afghanistan (170 = 2 different locations), last week they attacked UN supply vehicles as well).
A Taliban leader stated last week that they planned to rise up and take over Pakistan if Pak continued to work with the UN.
So, yes, it would be in everyone’s best interest to start taking some bold action.
them = terrorists creating violence in Pak.
I’m with you, I’m not holding my breath either, just as in Iran. I’m not exactly sure which Pak Gov’t branch is involved in the talks. I’m not saying that there should be an all out war in Pakistan, I just think that Pak needs to admit they have a problem with the Taliban, training camps, and insurgents - and take care of it, using whatever means is necessary. The Pak gov’t may think they are going to lose face by taking them out, but if they don’t - they are going to loose their country, and create more hostility and violence in the process - and it will be worse later.
agreed..Pakistan seems to be a non functioning nation
the hand of the taliban reaches too far up ..
Headline says "Deadline to Take Action".
First sentence says " Pakistan has agreed to a 48-hour timetable set by India and the United States to formulate a plan to take acton...."
Bureaucracies and formulating a plan can take a very long time.....then I'm sure India and the United States will have to formulate a plan on whether to accept the Paki plan.
Diplomacy....high level time wasting.
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News Reports say it was US and Nato vehicles.
That is a lot worst.
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