December 01, 2008	Monday	Zilhaj 2, 1429

LAHORE, Nov 30: Chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Maulana Fazlur Rehman has termed India’s attitude un-diplomatic.

Talking to reporters here on Sunday, he said New Delhi had no right to talk of summoning any official of any Pakistani agency (for clarification on Mumbai tragedy) and its attitude was against diplomatic norms.

“It is a prerogative of Pakistan to decide at which level to cooperate with India in probe against the Mumbai incident.”

Maulana Fazl said the nation would not take any decision under Indian pressure as Pakistan had repeatedly tried to satisfy its South Asian neighbour with regard to allegations that terrorists had any links with Karachi.

“The entire nation is united to defend its motherland.”

He said that at a time when both countries were signing agreements for opening more trade routes and Islamabad was trying to improve its relations with New Delhi through diplomatic channels, the former could not sponsor any incident that might adversely affect this atmosphere.

Answering a question about the ongoing army operation in tribal areas when situation on the country’s eastern borders was likely to deteriorate, he said his party had been demanding for a long time that the armed forces should be withdrawn from Fata and the operation must be ended.

Referring to the warning given to the US and Nato that Islamabad could withdraw its troops from Fata in case New Delhi deployed its forces along the borders, he said the authorities had thus admitted that the war being fought in the tribal areas was not of Pakistan’s own war.

Asked if the Mumbai incident could have negative implications for struggle of Kashmiri people, he said their movement had matured to a level where such unpleasant occurrences could not affect it. However, it could hamper the progress in efforts to settle the Kashmir dispute.