Zardari blames 'miscommunication' for going back on promise to

New Delhi, Nov 29 (PTI) Pakistan President Asif Ali
Zardari Saturday blamed "miscommunication" with India for
Islamabad seemingly going back on its promise to send Director
General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to New Delhi
and instead said a Director-level officer will be coming.

Zardari claimed that Prime Minister of India Manmohan
Singh, during a telephonic talk with him Friday, had requested
for sending "Director".

"There was a miscommunication... We had announced that
a Director will come from my side...That is what was requested
by the Prime Minister and that is what we agreed," the
Pakistan President told Karan Thapar's 'Devil's Advocate'
programme.

"It is too early for the Director Generals to meet at
the moment. Let the evidence come to light, let the
investigations take its course. Then perhaps there is a
position where the Directors General could meet," Zardari
said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had Friday
reportedly agreed to his Indian counterpart's request for
sending ISI Director General Shuja Pasha so that evidence
about Pakistani linkages to the Mumbai terror strikes could be
shared with him.

"The DG is too senior a person to get into the
investigation. He is a person who overall looks into the
investigation," the Pakistan President said.

"It is too early for the Directors General to meet at
the moment. Let the evidence come to light, let the
investigations take its course. Then perhaps there is a
position where the DGs could meet," Zardari said.

"The DG is too senior a person to get into the
investigation. He is a person who overall looks into the
investigation," the Pakistan President said Saturday.

Zardari insisted that Pakistan would cooperate in
investigations and promised to take "strictest action" if
there is evidence.

"As President of Pakistan, let me assure you that if any
evidence points to any individual or any group in this part of
the world, I shall take the strictest of action in this light
of the evidence and in front of the world," he said.

To a question, he did not rule out the "possibility" of
cooperation among the highest echelons of the intelligence
agencies, which would include the DGs.

When referred to India's contention that terror camps
exist in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and if he would take
action, Zardari said, "most definitely, I assure you if any
evidence points out to any camp and if we are aware of
anything of that sort we not only close down but will take
action against those running the camps."

When pointed out that India has talked about evidence
about involvement of Pakistan-based elements in the Mumbai
attacks, Zardari said, "this is a world incident. Today, every
terrorist act is a world incident and there are multi-national
casualities. So, I am sure that the world intelligence
agencies will be called."

Talking about "non-state actors", Zardari said such
elements undertake actions to generate reactions and that
there should be "no over-reaction".

"Whoever is responsible for the brutal and crude act
against the Indian people and India are looking for reaction,
we have to rise above them and make sure ourselves, yourself
and world community guard against over reaction," the Pakistan
President said.

"We have seen in the recent past that the non-state
actors have managed to take on superpowers .... All these are
looking for reaction they are not looking for the action," he
said, adding "I request the people of India and the leadership
of India that strange times and such difficult times ask the
leadership to go beyond their ownself."

Asked whether he would agree to India's demand for access
to people like Lashker-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Mohd Sayeed and
Dawood Ibrahim, Zardari said, "this is a procedural matter
which requires the court of law and requires rules and
regulations."

"So we have to have a common agreement of this kind. We
have to come into a bilateral relationship where we have
interactive relationship where we can question people who we
find are responsible in our part of the country," he said.

"I am willing to go for that mutual assistance agreement
if times ask for it," he said.

Asked whether such procedures could be put in place, the
Pakistan President responded: "We are now moving out of the
hemisphere ... where is the evidence, we would like to see the
evidence. Just to say that there is an individual.."

When queried whether India could trust Pakistan, he said
it should do so as people of Pakistan "stand by the people of
India against these odds."

He said terrorism is "regional threat, this is a world
threat and all the reason we have to stand up against this
threat together."

Zardari said he faced a threat to himself and his family
from "these same forces" of terrorism.

"They may not be the same individuals but they are
definitely the same forces of the same mindset. I am trying to
save my own nation, my own country and the future of my
children," he said, adding "therefore I am as committed as can
be" in cooperating with India.

On the Mumbai attacks, he said "I am hurt. I am bleeding.
Your wound takes and brings attention to my wound which is
also very recent."

He said he stands with the people and leadership of
India. "I am sorry that you are going through this. I
empathise with the people of Mumbai. I feel their pain. I feel
their loss. My heart goes out to their loss and the people you
have lost." PTI TEAM
PMR