Accusing Pakistan of not doing enough to bring to book the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said India does not know whom to deal with in Islamabad, as the army is the most powerful force in the neighbouring country.
"No, they (Pakistan) have not done enough," Singh told American television channel CNN in an interview which was taken in New Delhi and aired minutes before the prime minister arrived in Washington on the first State Visit of the Obama Administration.
"They have taken some steps. I have discussed this matter with (Pakistani) Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, when we met at Sharm al-Sheikh (in Egypt). The joint statement we issued, he assured us Pakistan will do all that is possible to bring to justice the perpetrators of Mumbai massacre," he said.
"But it is our feeling that Pakistan has not done enough. Hafeez Saeed is roaming around freely. Maulana Azhar Masood and other terrorist elements, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, according to Pakistan's own admissions is actively involved in perpetrating massacre in Mumbai, they are moving around freely. The conspiracy took place in Pakistan," Singh said.
He said a "friendly" government in Pakistan, which would be equally determined to tackle terrorism, would take the case to its logical conclusion.
"That is not happening," the prime minister said.
Asked if he believed the Pakistani Army was serious in tackling terrorists, Singh said he is not certain if the military will take on those elements.
He said India did not clearly know whom to deal with in Pakistan, as the army there was very powerful. India would like democracy to succeed in that country, he said.
"I think the most element force in Pakistan is the army. There is democracy. We would like democracy to succeed and flourish in Pakistan, but we have to recognise that the power today virtually rests with the Army," he said.
The prime minister said he does not think that India has a partner in Pakistan today.
"I do not think whether we have a partner right now. I think, when General Pervez Musharraf (was the president), I was to ask him and he said 'Well I am the army, I represent the armed forces, I represent the people'. Now I do not know whom to deal with," he said.
Contending that Pakistan's objective in Afghanistan does not appear to be "necessarily in harmony" with that of the US, Singh said Islamabad wants that country to become its "backyard".
"Pakistanis sometimes feel that the Americans are short time maximisers that if the pressure continue, they would not have the courage to stay there, they would walk away, that Afghanistan would become a backyard to Pakistan to influence its policies and programmes," he said.
Referring to the recent statement of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the presence of Quetta Shoura in Pakistan, the prime minister said: "That is an indication of the things that are happening on the ground."
Singh said that he has been assured by the United States that they are satisfied with the safety and security of the nuclear weapons of Pakistan, but added India was worried about "all these contingencies".
"All I can say that the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan created a major problem in the world and that the disappearance of the Taliban regime is indeed a blessing for the global society," he said.
He said after being re-elected as President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai has the responsibility and obligation to harmonise and to bring together all elements who can contribute to the reconstruction of his country.
"I hope he will rises to the occasion," he said, when asked if enough is being done in Afghanistan. There has been limited effort before, he said when asked if President Karzai is taking enough measures.
"I hope all elements of the Afghan society who are opposed to the terrorist elements can get together to give a purposeful government to the people of Afghanistan," said Singh.
