The Hindu

NEW DELHI, dec 24: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday reiterated that India wanted Pakistan to dismantle the terror infrastructure and urged the international community to persuade Pakistan to put an end to terror.

“Nobody wants war,” Dr. Singh said when asked by reporters outside Parliament House if war hysteria was being created on both sides.

“The issue is not war, but terrorism being aided and abetted by Pakistan. We want Pakistan to make objective efforts to dismantle the terror infrastructure,” he said.

Dr. Singh pointed out there were a number of United Nations resolutions on ending terrorism and India wanted Pakistan to comply with them.

Talking to reporters, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee asked Pakistan to desist from “creating war hysteria.”

“The issue is that there has been an attack on Mumbai that originated from Pakistan’s soil. India has requested Pakistan to take action against the perpetrators of the crime. We have again urged the Pakistani authorities to fulfil their commitment,” he said.

“My request to friends in Pakistan is to address the issue that is terrorism and not create war hysteria. They should act against those responsible for the Mumbai terror attacks,” he said.

Mr. Mukherjee recalled that in September, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and in 2004, Pervez Musharraf promised that Pakistan territory would not be allowed to be used for terror activities.