India on Thursday questioned Pakistan's denial of involvement of militant groups based in its territory even before the probe into Mumbai train blasts was over and said that it had given evidence to Islamabad about role of 'elements' across the border in violence in the recent past.
New Delhi was 'surprised' about how all kinds of conclusions were being drawn, including denial of role of militant groups in Pakistan, even before the investigations into the Mumbai terror strikes had been concluded, Indian High Commissioner Shivshankar Menon said.
He was replying to questions after addressing the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Indian Economy and Pakistan in Islamabad.
India, Menon said, forwarded to Islamabad evidence of involvement of 'elements' from Pakistan in series of bomb blasts that have taken place in several Indian cities during past several months at the Home Secretary-level talks ion Islamabad in May.
On how India could blame Pakistan immediately after Mumbai bomb blasts, he said: "As far as Mumbai is concerned, we are still investigating. We are amazed that people can jump to all kinds of conclusions, including denying things."
"How can you deny if you have not investigated the case. The media might say whatever it says, but please listen to what government of India says and what the Prime Minister of India is saying," he added.
"There are elements in Pakistan, which are linked to series of bombings in the past. We have given evidence to the Government of Pakistan. It is our expectation that in its own interest and the interest of (peace)
The high commissioner said in all the previous bomb attacks, India got back to Pakistan with evidence whenever it traced the links to groups across the border including series of bombings in the last nine to ten months.
Observing that militant groups were a threat to both countries, he said: "There are links to elements in Pakistan. Those elements are no friends of peace process, they are no friends of India and they are no friends of Pakistan itself."
"But we will deal with this issue together. It is not a ball going back and forth. It is a serious issue. This is a real and serious issue, which we need to address. The issue is terrorism and how do we deal with it," Menon added.
Contending that the militant groups were as much a threat to Pakistan as they were to India, he said: "We have common interest in dealing with this. We are not saying that because of this, we must stop doing business."
To a question on India's defence budget, Menon said India always pegged its defence budget below 2.5 per cent of the Gross National Product, which was 'too low.'
About criticism over the delay in resolving the Kashmir issue, he said India too wanted to resolve it. "For the past two years, efforts are on to resolve it. Till now no solution acceptable to both the countries has been worked out. I would not say unless a solution emerges we will not do trade and other things. Whatever the issues besides Kashmir, we should try to solve so that an atmosphere created to resolve Kashmir," Menon said.
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