On the eve of the India-Pakistan foreign secretary-level talks, India on Tuesday said Pakistan has to do more on tackling terrorism but pointed out that the progress on the matter has not held the dialogue process to ransom.
"The acrimony of old times is no longer there (between India and Pakistan)," External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told reporters on board the special flight on his way back from Tajikistan.
"Pakistan has to do more on the issue of terrorism. But the issue of progress on terrorism has not held the dialogue process to ransom," he added.
Krishna's remarks came ahead of Wednesday's meeting between Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai and his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani in New Delhi.
The meeting is taking place in the backdrop of the arrest of Zabiuddin, aka Abu Jundal. Jundal has revealed that he, along with Lashkar-e-Tayiba founder Hafiz Saeed, was in the control room in Pakistan during the 26/11 Mumbai carnage.
"We have been talking to Pakistan, it is our neighbour. Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) has maintained that we have to live with our neighbour. We want to live as normal neighbour. We should try to live as good neighbours," Krishna said.
When asked about Abu Jundal's arrest and whether India will take up the issue with Pakistan, Krishna said, "Terror has been one of the issues that we always discuss. We will do this time too".
"Whatever he (Jundal) has claimed will be evaluated by our agencies," he said.
Krishna said India has provided dossiers to Pakistan which contain material to take action against LeT founder and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and other perpetrators.
He expressed regret that Saeed is still roaming freely in Pakistan.
On terror suspect Mohammad Fasih's extradition from Saudi Arabia, Krishna said, "There is an extradition treaty (between Saudi and India) which forms the basis of taking up such issues".
