Islamabad: A senior Pakistani official on Monday said, Pakistan does not allow its territory to be used for terrorism against India, in response to allegations that the Mumbai train bombers got support from inside Pakistan.
Pakistan's Foreign Secretary, Riaz Mohammed Khan, described India's postponement of scheduled bilateral talks this week as a "negative development" but expressed hope that the peace dialogue between India and Pakistan would continue.
Asked about Prime Minister's Manmohan Singh's demand that Pakistan should give a commitment not to let its soil to be used for terrorist attacks on India, Khan said, "Pakistan does not allow its territory to be used against any country. This is our firm policy and commitment."
The eight blasts last Tuesday on Mumbai's local trains which killed 182 people and injured more than 800, triggered public anger amid accusations that the perpetrators were Islamic militants aided by Pakistan.
Last week, Manmohan Singh said the bombers were "supported by elements across the border," a claim denied by Pakistan, which condemned the bombings.
On Sunday, Manmohan Singh had said the two-year-old peace process with Pakistan, aimed at burying six decades of hostility that has caused three wars, could not move forward if terrorism "aided and abetted from outside" continues to claim lives in India.
Khan criticised the postponement of this week's scheduled meeting between him and India's Foreign Secretary in Delhi to review progress in the peace dialogue.
He said linking the bombings to the peace process was "incongruous."
He expressed hope that a fourth round of the "composite dialogue" between the two nations, on a range of issues including Kashmir, would go ahead as planned.
He also said Pakistan would not "reverse" confidence-building measures with India.
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