It’s Important for Pak to Act against 26/11 Attackers: US

The US has said that it is important for Pakistan to probe the Mumbai terror attack and bring to its mastermind to book for its own and the whole region’s benefit, said media reports.

Talking to reports at his routine press briefings, State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said that the US would continue to discuss with Pakistan the need to probe the 26/11 carnage that killed 166 people, reports said.

“There are things, clearly, that Pakistan must do. Certainly, continuing to investigate and bring to justice those who are responsible for the Mumbai attack is an important element,” Crowley was quoted as saying.

India has blamed Pakistan-based terror outfit LeT for masterminding the attack, and the lone Pakistani gunman captured alive following the raid has been awarded a death sentence by a court.

A trial is also on against seven suspects, including LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, in Pakistan but India has said Islamabad should do more to bring the masterminds to book.

“It’s important to Pakistan. It’s also important to India. And we will continue our conversations with Pakistan on the things that it needs to do not only for the benefit of Pakistan but the region as a whole,” Crowley was quoted as saying.

The spokesperson said that the US policy is to fully cooperate with Pakistan on terrorism and to continue to work closely to help Pakistan battle the insurgency that now is a threat to Pakistan itself, reports said.

“We’ve seen significant progress by Pakistan over the past year. It’s an area that was part of the Strategic Dialogue that our governments just had in Islamabad,” he was quoted as saying.

(Based on internet reports)