VOA常速英语: India Says Prepared for All Measures if Pakistan Fails to Act Against Extremists

India has demanded that Pakistan act against Islamic extremists responsible for last month's terror attack in its financial hub Mumbai. The attack has rekindled tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors.


Foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee says that Islamic militant groups based in Pakistan endanger the entire world, and demanded that Islamabad permanently dismantle the
"infrastructure of terrorism" on its soil. (www.hXen.com)

He was addressing Indian envoys from 120 countries who are in New Delhi for a meeting expected to focus on terrorism and how to ratchet up diplomatic pressure on Islamabad.

India says the gunmen who carried out last months terror attacks in Mumbai were Pakistanis, and were trained by a radical Islamic group, the Lashkar-e-Taiba, based in the country. Islamabad says New Delhi has given no evidence that the attacks were planned or carried out by extremists in Pakistan.  

Mr. Mukherjee says Islamabad is resorting to a "policy of denial" and seeking to deflect the blame.

"We will expect from Pakistan to do whatever they committed to do, to fulfill their promises, to fulfill their commitments. As responsible members of the community of nations, no nation can shirk its responsibility to fulfill the commitment which it gives to the other nation," he said.

The Indian foreign minister also says efforts by the international community to persuade Pakistan to clamp down on extremists based in the country are not enough. He says New Delhi is prepared to act alone and "will take all measures necessary to deal with the situation."

"And in that process to pursue that objective, we are not freezing any option, we will explore the possibilities because the obligation is ours, our people have been killed, our persons have been attacked, our installations have been destroyed," he added.

In the wake of the Mumbai attack, top officials from the United States and other countries have visited New Delhi and Islamabad, urging them to avoid military confrontation. Indian leaders also said they do not want war with Pakistan.

But in recent days they have spoken a tougher language saying they are frustrated by Pakistan's failure to act against the terrorists responsible for the Mumbai attacks and previous terror strikes targeting India.

This has fueled speculation that New Delhi may mount a retaliatory strike against camps of extremist organizations such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which India has blamed for the latest
attack.

Pakistan has said it is prepared to cooperate in the investigation in the Mumbai attacks and has detained several suspected militants from an Islamic charity believed to be a front for the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba. But Islamabad has refused to hand over militants sought by India.