New Delhi, July 27 (ANI): Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar in an exclusive interview to Asian News International (ANI) said that investigations into the Mumbai attack were on schedule and part of the judicial process over which her government had no say.
She further said that it was faster than the investigations that India was conducting on the 2007 Samjhauta Express blast case.
"You have to see we have a judicial process, why is it difficult for you to understand? It is similar to yours. I want to emphasize that on Samjhauta and compare it to Mumbai, you will find there is more progress," said Khar.
"On Mumbai, interior ministers of the two countries have met. A judicial commission is coming from Pakistan to India; it will give impetus to process. It is not in the Government of Pakistan's interest to delay this process," she added.
The Samjhauta Express bombings were a terrorist attack that occurred around midnight on February 18, 2007, on the train service connecting New Delhi and Lahore.
Bombs were set off in two carriages, both filled with passengers, just after the train passed Diwana station near Panipat, 80 kilometres north of New Delhi.
Sixty-eight people were killed in the ensuing fire and dozens more were injured. Of the 68 fatalities, most were Pakistani civilians.
Responding to a question as to how she planned to unburden the relationship from the baggage of history, as she had claimed was her goal in the statement to the media just after her talks with Krishna, Khar said: "We have held on to our hostilities for far too long, perceptions and goals and aspirations that the other has for us for too long...we have let it determine the partnership of our countries."
"Yes, it is a fact that we have core issues, which are festering but to resolve that is to have dialogue. More dialogue. And then result oriented dialogue. That is the only option. We can then move to a level of understanding and then move to resolving such issues. To co-exist and benefit from each other," she added.
When asked about her meeting with the Hurriyat leaders prior to her talks with External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, Khar said she was surprised at the attention it had generated.
She said that every foreign minister before her had also met with Hurriyat leaders, so why should her meeting with them be any different?
"Why should you hold it against me. I am representing my country. I am a bit surprised that you hold it against me. Every foreign minister, who has come here, has met with them (Hurriyat), they are stakeholders. They are part of the democratic process that we all uphold, aspire to. You have a bigger history (of democracy); in Pakistan it has been a process that has come and gone," said Khar.
"Why must you hold it against us that we meet with stakeholders on an issue that festered and affected the partnership of the two countries? As we move forward, we will hopefully learn to engage with them (Hurriyat). See on Kashmir what we (Pakistan) have is not an isolated position. It is part of UN resolutions and stated positions," she added. By Smita Prakash (ANI)
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