Pak can’t guarantee against repeat of 26/11: Gilani

ISLAMABAD - While the United States has stressed that any more 26/11 like attacks on India originating from Pakistani soil would test its patience, the Pakistan government has said that it can not guarantee repeat of the ghastly terror attacks which rocked India’s financial capital.

Sources said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told visiting US Defence Secretary Robert Gates that Pakistan itself is witnessing frequent terror attacks, and that it can not promise that Mumbai type attacks can not be carried out in future again.

“Pakistan is itself facing Mumbai-like attacks almost every other day and when we cannot protect our own citizens, how can we guarantee that there wouldn’t be any more terrorist hits in India,” Gilani said.

Linking the terror attacks with the Kashmir issue, Gilani told Gates that the best way to prevent such ghastly terror acts is to de-link the peace process from action against extremists.

During his meeting with Gates, Gilani criticised New Delhi for its obstinate attitude, saying that as long as India held the peace process hostage to progress on terrorism, forward movement in normalisation of ties was unlikely, The Dawn reported.

“Pakistan is committed to peace in the region and in this context has been making sincere efforts to resume Composite Dialogue with India, but the response from the other side has not been encouraging. Relations between India and Pakistan should not become hostage to the activities of terrorists,” sources privy to the meeting quoted Gilani, as saying.

In is pertinent to mention here that Gates, during his recent India visit, had said that any more Mumbai type attacks on India could probably trigger a war between both the neighbouring countries.

Gates said that it was unlikely that New Delhi would show the same restraint shown after 26 November 2008 if attacked again. (ANI)