New Delhi. The Government has repeatedly requested Pakistan, including in the recent meeting between Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan held in New Delhi on February 25, 2010, to act in an expeditious and transparent manner against all those responsible for the Mumbai terrorist attack, including Hafiz Saeed. It was also stressed that Pakistan needs to take effective action to ban the anti-India activities of organizations such as Jamaat-ud-Dawa and their leaders, including Hafiz Saeed, who have openly and blatantly espoused an agenda of violence and terrorism against India.

This information was given by Shri S. M. Krishna, the Union Minister of External Affairs in the Rajya Sabha today. He said that government has reiterated on several occasions that the door for dialogue with Pakistan has never been closed and meaningful dialogue with Pakistan is possible only in an environment free of terror or threat of terror. The Composite Dialogue, which had been resumed in 2004 based on Pakistan’s express assurance not to allow its territory for terrorist activity in any manner, addresses eight subjects, including Peace & Security including Confidence Building Measures and Jammu & Kashmir. It has been paused since the Mumbai terrorist attack in November 2008. In various meetings with the leaders of Pakistan since then, India has reiterated the need for Pakistan to fulfill its repeated assurances, including those given at the highest level, not to allow the use of territory under its control for terrorism directed against India. Pakistan, in response, has assured that action will be taken against the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attack.