New Delhi: For the first time since the Mumbai carnage, India publicly declared that the response of the international community to the terror attacks was inadequate.
After the attacks, world leaders offered their sympathies and asked Pakistan to crack down on terror outfits in that country. US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice flew down to India and expressed solidarity with the people of the country. The UN Security Council declared the Jamaat-ud-Dawa a proscribed outfit. But that was about it. No concrete step was taken to permanently root out the problem.
Islamabad has been playing a cat-and-mouse game, moving one step forward and two steps backwards. This has angered the government because it now realises that Islamabad is doing what it has always done - claiming that no proof of Pakistans hand in the Mumbai attacks has so far been given to them.
Foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee, who has kept up the pressure on President Asif Zardari, voiced Indias disappointment again on Monday. "There has been some effort so far by the international community but its not enough. Much more needs to be done and the actions should be pursued to their logical conclusion," the minister said. "We need effective steps not only to bring those responsible for the Mumbai attacks to justice, but also to ensure that such acts of terrorism do not recur," Mukherjee said while speaking to a gathering of Indian ambassadors in the capital. A three-day conference of heads of missions began here on Monday morning.
Mukherjee clearly laid down what India expects from Islamabad. Those responsible for the Mumbai attacks must be punished and the authorities must make sure there is not another Pak-sponsored terror attack in India, he said. This will be the message that Indian ambassadors will carry back to the host governments. "While we continue to persuade the international community and Pakistan, we are also clear that ultimately it is we who have to deal with this problem. We will take all measures as we deem fit to deal with the situation, Mukherjee said.
A similar sentiment was echoed by senior officials in the South Block. "We are not relying on the US or any other power to do our job. We know every country has its own interests at heart. But we are trying to see how we can work with countries which have common interests with us in getting Pakistan to co operate, the officials said.
After the conference, reporters asked Mukherjee if a military response to the attacks was being considered. "We will explore all options," said the external affairs minister.
"This terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan is the greatest danger to peace and security of the entire civilised world, the minister said.
