World | Pakistan
PM asks India to accept joint probe offer
Pakistan to reciprocate Singh's positive gesture of sending white dove greeting cards to Zardari and Gilani.
- By Shahid Hussain, Correspondent
- Published: 23:42 January 13, 2009
Islamabad: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday advised India to accept Pakistan's offer of joint inquiry into November 26 Mumbai terror attacks to uncover full facts.
Making a policy statement in the National Assembly here, Gilani said serious, sustained and pragmatic cooperation between the two countries was the 'way forward'. "We are prepared to cooperate with India to uncover full facts and hence offered a joint inquiry. We hope India will see the merit in it and accept joint inquiry," the prime minister said.
Gilani said India had provided to Pakistan on January 5 "some information" about the Mumbai attacks. "All that has been received from India is some information. I say information because these are not evidence." He said the information had been handed over to the ministry of interior for necessary inquiry in accordance with the law and the results of the inquiry would be shared with the Indian government in due course of time. The prime minister stressed that Pakistan condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and was among the first to denounce the Mumbai attacks.
Meanwhile, a white dove is on the cover of the New Year greeting cards sent by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Gilani, a gesture that has been much appreciated here.
"President Zardari will soon reciprocate the positive gesture of the Indian prime minister," the president's spokesperson Farhatullah Babar told Dawn.
"With all good wishes for the new year," Manmohan Singh said in the greeting cards that he and his wife Gursharan Kaur signed.
"We consider the good wishes sent by the Indian premier a positive gesture to de-escalate tension between the two countries," Babar said. According to the spokesperson, "a white dove on the card indicated that Dr. Singh desired good relations between the two countries and peace in the region".
- With additional inputs from IANS
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