India will monitor actions by Pak

Welcoming Pakistan's response to the Mumbai dossier, India on Friday said it will monitor further actions by Islamabad with regard to ending cross-border terror and underlined that the neighbour has to choose what kind of ties it wants with New Delhi.

Making a statement in Lok Sabha on Pakistan's admission that the conspiracy was partly hatched in that country, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said much on the future of bilateral ties will depend on what actions Islamabad takes to take the Mumbai case to its logical end.

He said the 'substantial gains' in the process of normalisation achieved during the last five years are at 'grave risk' as the dialogue process is premised on the commitments given by Pakistan that territories under its control would not be used for terrorism against India in any manner.

"In their official response, the Pakistan authorities have admitted that elements in Pakistan were involved in the terrorist attacks on Mumbai... This is a positive development," Mukherjee told the House, a day after Islamabad conveyed its response.

He noted that Pakistan is still in the process of investigating the attacks and have taken certain actions, including the arrest of some of those who were involved and filed FIRs in Pakistan.

Mukherjee noted that Pakistan has sought further information and material relating to the investigation and said India will share whatever it can after examining the issues raised in Islamabad's response.

Noting that the November 26, 2008 attack was not the first terror strike in India having emanated from Pakistan, he said "nonetheless, with Mumbai, a threshold was crossed and it was imperative that Pakistan act credibly against that infrastructure to prevent further attacks."

He gave details about developments and India's approach in the aftermath of Mumbai attacks, including sharing of evidence with the world to build pressure on Pakistan.

"We are at a point in our relationship where the authorities in Pakistan itself have to choose the kind of relationship that they want with India in the future," he said, adding, "much depends on actions in the Mumbai case reaching their logical conclusion".

He said India "will continue to review the situation including Pakistan's responses and will take further steps that we deem necessary in order to protect our people."

Mukherjee pointed out that India has been constantly guided by the two objectives of ensuring that those who planned, organised and trained the attackers of Mumbai are brought to justice and that the infrastructure of terrorism which exists in Pakistan is dismantled so that there is no recurrence of such attacks.