Pakistan has to hand over terrorists, says Pranab

Pranab Mukherjee said that India had on a number of occasions demanded immediate hand-over of those using Pakistani soil to carry out terrorist activities and now it had to act as per international demand.

India on Saturday said that Pakistan should hand over terrorists wanted by New Delhi immediately and take concrete steps against elements spreading terror.

“Pakistan has to hand over those using its soil to spread terror in India and award exemplary punishment to those directly involved in the Mumbai attacks on November 26,” External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee said that India had on a number of occasions demanded immediate hand-over of those using Pakistani soil to carry out terrorist activities and now it had to act as per international demand.

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Stating that Pakistan was now under international pressure, Mukherjee said, “but it has to act.”

Pakistan has to abide by the international demand for action against terrorist organisations in that country, he said.

Referring to agreement signed between former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf that Pakistan soil would not be allowed to be used to target India, Mukherjee said, “we would like Islamabad to keep the sanctity of the agreement.”

Expressing himself against the term ‘Islamic terrorism’, Mukherjee said, “Islam does not believe in terrorism. It preaches love and brotherhood and it is the very tenet of the religion.”

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He was speaking to reporters after inaugurating Sagardighi College, 45 km from Berhampore.

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