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Josy Joseph in Kathmandu
India on Thursday released details of evidences provided to Pakistan over the past decade about terrorists wanted in India and living in Pakistan.
Releasing them External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said Pakistan's demand for evidence for acting against these terrorists now was a 'subterfuge'.
Among the terrorists wanted by India and demands for whose extradition were made to Pakistan include those accused in Mumbai blasts, IC 814 hijack and the December 13 Parliament attack.
"This (evidence) has been shared with Pakistan. If thereafter they continue to say the same thing it is misleading," Singh said, adding it was an attempt to 'whirl away from the central point'.
He said that the leaders have come to Kathmandu for SAARC summit and not for any bilateral discussions.
But he refused to rule out a meeting between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and President Pervez Musharaf saying it would be inappropriate for the foreign minister to comment about the prime minister's plans.
The decision to release the dates and details of the past demarches to blunt Pakistan's repeated demands for evidence promises to eclipse the SAARC summit beginning on Friday.
Singh said that Pakistan has yet not formally communicated to India any action taken against terrorists. He, however, said that he has been reading media reports about action against some of these leaders.
He said that the Pakistani leadership should understand the 'enormity of the December 13 attack'.
"It was not just against a structure but against democracy, and it was a breach of sovereignty."
"The current subterfuge of seeking evidence to take action is not expected," Singh said pointing out that it was Pakistan's moral and diplomatic responsibility to act against terrorists.
"I am unable to understand if moral support can be given to immoral activities like terrorism," Singh said.
"India is not interested in escalating the situation," he said. "I have been a soldier, and I know the dangers of war," Singh said.
"We hope Pakistan will work towards what we have requested for," Singh said, saying it was for Pakistan to decide on a time period for acting against terrorists.
He said the steps taken against Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Tayiba were welcome, and they 'need to be pursued'.
He said it would take sometime for Pakistan to dismantle the entire set up created for carrying out cross-border terrorism in Kashmir.
"In time that they take, it is our expectation that a much more purposeful declaration would be forthcoming (from Pakistan)," Singh said.
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