NDEW YORK, Dec 2: The Human Rights Watch has called upon the governments of India and Pakistan to cooperate in a prompt and thorough investigation to identify the perpetrators and planners of the Mumbai attacks and hold them accountable.

It also urged the Indian government to take action to deter such attacks in the future. This would include measures to: better coordinate intelligence gathering, sharing and dissemination; end turf battles between the central government and state governments; provide better training and equipment to law-enforcement officials; and work with and, where necessary, accept training and assistance from external law-enforcement agencies with a more sophisticated approach to counter-terrorism work.

However, HRW also noted that after previous terror incidents there had been widespread allegations that Indian security forces had committed arbitrary arrests and torture. Muslims have often been targeted. It called upon

India to use only lawful means to investigate the attacks and bring perpetrators to account.

“Given the criticism of the Indian counter-terror and intelligence agencies, police investigators are under a lot of pressure to find the masterminds and any accomplices to the Mumbai attacks,” said Brad Adams, HRW’s Asia director.