Pakistan

WikiLeaks: Zardari hinted Indian involvement in Mumbai attacks

Zardari was suspicious of India, citing recent ‘confirmation' that there was Indian involvement in the Mumbai...

May 24, 2011

In a February 16, 2010 meeting with US Senator John Kerry, President Asif Ali Zardari tried to justify continued suspicion of India, “citing recent ‘confirmation' that there was Indian involvement in the Mumbai attacks”, a WikiLeaks cable revealed.

In a cable filed by former US ambassador Anne Patterson, although Zardari acknowledged that India-Pakistan dialogue could move forward with US support, he expressed concern regarding India’s increased military spending. Patterson wrote:

He claimed India had increased its military spending 30 percent this year and described this as a direct threat to Pakistan. When Kerry pointed out the Chinese threat to India, Zardari responded that Indian tanks cannot operate in the Chinese border region and could only be intended for an attack on Pakistan. India has 4,700 tanks, he explained, while Pakistan has only 2,600. "Capability creates a fear,” he added.

Kerry said that cooperation on counter terrorism with the Indians could lead to Indian compromises on key Pakistani issues such as Kashmir and water use in subsequent meetings. Kerry encouraged the GOP to come up with specific offers to which the GOI could respond.

Kerry said Zardari should put his concerns on the negotiating table as there was a real opportunity for productive conversation between India and Pakistan now: “”You could arrive at a surprising consensus of mutual understanding.”

Zardari conceded that Singh deserved respect, but said he was not confident about the rest of the Indian government.

The full text of the cables can be read on Dawn.com, The Hinduand NDTV. WikiLeaks has previously released cables to other media organisations including Guardian and the New York Times.

COMMENTS (6)

Subhan Basha | 13 years ago | Reply Our strategic assets have already killed 35000 Pakistan citizens and I am counting on.

Digvijay Singh | 13 years ago | Reply Nobody will speak after reading this.. http://tribune.com.pk/story/174764/headley-trial-handlers-were-members-of-isi/

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Aamir | 13 years ago | Reply Filmsy events like Mumbai attack shows bollywood behind the plot.

Paras Vikmani | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan's favourite past-time: Conspiracy theories!

deep | 13 years ago | Reply Another graduate from the Zaid Hamid school of conspiracy theory? When Mumbai broke, Kasab was declared to be a hindu because he was wearing a saffron band around his wrist. Apparently Headley had purchased this for the terrorists from a local temple. The problem is Pakistani establishment views India and America for that matter, through the same prism that they view their own politics where institutions are made subservient to personal ambitions. So Zardari would like to see Manmohan singh as a helpless primeminister who wants the best of relations with Pakistan. I believe Singh is more realistic and pragmatic than that and if Pakistan had made even the smallest of moves towards working on terrorism directed towards India - Singh would have ensured that India pushes for more meaningful talks.

tanvir zafar | 13 years ago | Reply yup,deflecting blame onto others so you don't have to face the monsters within is an old trick.But we are only deceiving ourselves by not confronting the issue of islamic terrorism in our country.We have gone around blaming the yahodis,qadianis & hindus for all our troubles for far too long.It has given us nothing but 35,000 dead bodies in return. living in denial like an ostrich with its head in the sand won't help anyone.If the disease is not diagnosed than how can we expect to cure it.It's time that we started taking on the Cancer of Islamic fundamentalism before it destroys our entire country.

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