ISLAMABAD, Dec 4: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday that enough information was available for acting against the perpetrators of Mumbai attacks and forestalling such incidents.

“There is a lot of information and it needs to be used to get to the perpetrators and prevent them from doing it again,” she said at a news conference after meeting President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani during her brief visit to Islamabad.

Although Ms Rice found Pakistani leadership “very focused” and “very committed” on the issue, she emphasised the urgency of the matter, particularly because of concerns about the “unprecedented sophistication of the attack”.

“There is urgency in getting to the bottom of it; there is urgency in bringing the perpetrators to justice; and there is urgency for using the information to disrupt and prevent further attacks,” she said, adding that the message was “well received” in Islamabad.

During her meetings, she stressed the importance of Pakistan taking responsibility to deal with those who might use its territory even if they were non-state actors.

“Pakistani leadership understands the importance of rounding up whoever perpetrated the attack, from wherever it was perpetrated, whatever its sources, wherever the leads go,” she said.

“Pakistan clearly doesn’t want itself to be associated with terrorist elements and is fighting them out.”

The secretary of state scoffed at suggestions that India was planning a military response to the terror attack. She said New Delhi was focusing on ways to deal with terrorism and prevent recurrence of such attacks.

She expressed a hope that the two countries would not only ‘keep their channels of communication open’, but also cooperate with each other in investigating the incident. “The best thing is that the two countries do what they can to investigate the incident.”

However, she stressed the need for co-opting the West into the investigations. The most effective way, she added, was through international cooperation involving India and any other willing partner, be it the UK or the US.

This was necessitated by the fact that the terrorists perpetrated their acts in a way that was not respectful of borders, Ms Rice emphasised.

Rejecting allegations of finger-pointing and hostile propaganda, the secretary of state said that during her visits to Islamabad and New Delhi, she had heard nothing except reasonable and responsible discussions on the issue.

She said India was concerned and determined to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice.Talking to Ms Rice, Prime Minister Gilani reiterated Pakistan’s determination not to allow the use of its territory for any terrorist activity.

Condoleezza Rice urged Pakistan to provide “unequivocal help” to India. “Pakistan should be seen acting sincerely and quickly.”

She said Pakistan should take necessary steps to prevent “non-state actors” from using its soil for carrying out “acts of terror” in any country.

Ms Rice assured Pakistan of assistance in upgrading its paramilitary forces to tackle extremism and terrorism.

President Zardari told Ms Rice that the government would not only help in the investigation, but also take action against any Pakistani elements found involved in the attack.