Sustained international pressure on Pakistan finally appeared to be showing result with Islamabad on Thursday revealing details of a crackdown against the Jamaad-ud-Dawha leading India to hint at a softening of its stand on the demand that Pakistani nationals involved in the Mumbai terror attacks be handed over.
External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee told newschannels on Thursday that Islamabad should convict the suspects of the Mumbai attacks. ??We do hope that the material and evidence that we have given, Pakistan will act on it and fugitives violating the Indian laws who have taken shelter in Pakistan will be handed over to India for justice,?? he said, adding ??If not hand over to India, Pakistan must try and convict suspects??. Mukherjee?s statement is being seen in some quarters as a softening of India?s earlier demand that Pakistan hand over the suspects unconditionally.
Earlier, Pakistan?s interior minister Rehman Malik told a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday that more than 100 people had been arrested in raids on groups allegedly linked to the Mumbai attacks. Malik said 124 leaders of several groups had been arrested, and that authorities had taken steps against 20 offices, 87 schools, two libraries, seven religious schools, and six web sites linked to the JuD.
