Pak has not taken any action on 26/11, Chidambaram tells US

Friday September 11, 2009, Washington
                                                              Home Minister P Chidambaram did some plain speaking on Pakistan when he met US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington on Thursday.

He told Clinton that Pakistan simply has not taken any action against the perpetrators of 26/11, and that Hafiz Saeed, who is believed to be the mastermind, is still roaming free despite the evidence provided by New Delhi in the several dossiers given to Islamabad.

Chidambaram, who wraps up his four-day visit to the United States on Saturday, has also told US officials that infiltration from Pakistan has increased since May this year.

"I did brief her on the state of the trial of Ajmal Kasab in India. I also mentioned about the no progress in Pakistan even in respect of the 5-6 people they have arrested. And that Hafiz Saeed remains a free man I think that is enough. I think the US understands the way India has approached the post 26/11 situation and how Pakistan has approached the situation. I think it is enough to draw attention to the difference and leave it there."

And speaking out for the first time on the Gujarat affidavit controversy, the home minister said there was nothing wrong with it. Chidambaram said it was only meant to be an intelligence input, not conclusive proof of guilt, much less a reason for killing anyone in cold blood.

The home ministry's affidavit does not weaken the Congress government's attack on the government of Gujarat in the Ishrat case, he said.

"What is wrong with the affidavit? To the best of my knowledge the affidavit says that intelligence inputs were shared with the Gujarat government. That affidavit must be read in context. You cannot read into it what it does not say. I think it is self-evident that intelligence inputs are not evidence, much less conclusive proof. They are just inputs. They are hared with governments on a regular basis. That is not evidence or conclusive proof. It gives leads to investigations further enquiry. If a state government acts as though intelligence inputs are evidence or conclusive proof, I am sorry for that government. Certainly no one suggested that based on an intelligence input you should kill someone. I think too much is being attributed to that affidavit if it is meant to defend the government of Gujarat against the excesses that may have been committed by its police I am sorry for the government of Gujarat and the manner in which it runs its police administration."

On infiltration, Chidambaram said, "The numbers are now running to about 50-60 a month. I think and a number of people that we apprehend are also very high so our assessment is that the level of infiltration has increased since the month of may 2009. We remain vigilant. I have already said both in Parliament and at the chief ministers' conference that the security threat emanating from militants operating on Pakistani soil has not diminished. That is our official position. Since the threat level has not diminished. We continue to remain on guard and continue to be on vigil.