Shahid Malik, Pakistan High Commissioner to India said on Sunday that India was not fulfilling its commitment made in the Sharm-el Sheikh joint statement for resumption of talks between Islamabad and New Delhi.
The “diplomatic vacuum” would not help the cause of peace and by not talking to each other, “we are strengthening the forces which don’t want the two countries to make any progress”, he said in an interview on news channel CNN-IBN.
Referring to actions against suspects of Mumbai attacks, he said Pakistan was not slow in taking action. It was “looking for credible actionable evidence” to ensure that the case is “fool-proof,” Pakistani envoy said.
Malik said Pakistan has been asking India to initiate dialogue process but there “there has been no response.” Pakistan was looking for “a result-oriented focused dialogue” between the two countries, he said.
Expressing concerns over the two countries not talking to each other, Malik said, “My worry is that by not talking to each other, we are strengthening the forces which don’t want the two countries to make any progress.”
Asked if the two countries were not communicating with each other, Malik said the foreign offices of the two countries were in constant touch over a variety of issues but “when it comes to holding a structured composite dialogue, yes, that is not taking place”.
When asked Pakistan was not moving fast enough on investigations in the 2611 terror attack case, Malik said, “I would not agree with that... FIR was lodged against the seven accused in February, within four months of the tragedy.
“The trial is continuing and as a matter of fact on October 10, a formal trial against the seven accused has begun,” Malik said.
When asked about action taken against Jamaat-ud-Dawa , he said, “assets of the operatives of the JuD were frozen. There was restriction on their movement. All the practical steps that were required to be taken by the Pakistan government have been taken.”