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December 9, 2008

Pakistan's President Says Peace Process With India Must Advance
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Asif Ali Zardari vows his country is committed to pursuit, arrest, trial
and punishment of anyone involved in Mumbai attacks 
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari says the peace process with India
must move forward to foil the goals of the terrorists behind last
month's attack in Mumbai that killed more than 170 people. Pakistan Asif
Ali Zardari (File)In an opinion piece in The New York Times Tuesday, Mr.
Zardari also vows his country is committed to the pursuit, arrest, trial
and punishment of anyone involved in the attacks. He said several
suspects were arrested in raids Sunday. More operations were carried out
Monday against militant groups linked to the Mumbai attacks. Among those
reported to be detained is Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, an alleged planner of
the Mumbai attacks. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi says
his country will not hand the suspects over to India. He says Pakistan
will take action against them in its own legal system. On Monday, U.S.
State Department spokesman Sean Mc Cormack said Mr. Zardari telephoned
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to inform her of the operations. Mc
Cormack said Pakistan is making what he called "positive steps" to help
find those responsible for the attacks. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf
Raza Gilani convened the first-ever meeting of his Cabinet's defense
chiefs Monday to discuss rising tensions with India. Federal Information
Minister Sherry Rehman says officials at the meeting repeated Pakistan's
resolve not to allow its soil to be used for terrorist activity.
Islamabad denies any involvement in the three-day assault on Mumbai that
began November 26. Some information for this report was provided by AFP,
AP and Reuters.


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