Pakistan pledges ’action’ on Mumbai

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

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Pakistan yesterday promised U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that it would take "strong action" against anyone on its territory found to have been involved in the deadly attacks, while India still insisted it has evidence that two senior leaders of a banned Pakistani militant group orchestrated the rampage.

The top American diplomat, on a trip aimed at curbing tension between India and Pakistan, said yesterday she is satisfied with Pakistan's commitment to fight terrorism and its readiness to pursue any lead in the attacks in India that have sharply raised tensions between the two nuclear powers.

Cooperation needed
Pakistan's young civilian government is very committed to the war on terror and does not want to be associated with terrorist elements, she said after talks with Pakistani leaders, reported The Associated Press. Rice played down fear of a military response by India, saying the global struggle against terrorism needed cooperation.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari told Rice he was determined that Pakistan would not be used to orchestrate attacks or shelter terrorists such as those who committed outrage. "The government will not only assist in investigation but also take strong action against any Pakistani elements found involved in the attack," Zardari said, according to a report by Agence France-Presse.

Meanwhile, airports in India went on high alert yesterday following fresh attack warnings as officials said India suspects two senior leaders of a banned Pakistani militant group orchestrated the deadly Mumbai attacks.

The new alert that warned of possible airborne attacks focused on three major airports - New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai - but security was stepped up across the country. No details about the threat were released.

Meanwhile, officials continued to probe the attacks. Evidence collected in probes so far has pointed to two members of outlawed Pakistani group Lashkar-e-Taiba as masterminds in the attacks, according to two Indian government officials familiar with the matter. The men, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Yusuf Muzammil, are believed to be in Pakistan, the officials said. Lakhvi was identified as the group's operations chief and Muzammil as its operations chief in Kashmir and parts of India.