Agreeing to a demand made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Pakistan on Friday decided to depute Inter Services Intelligence chief Shuja Pasha to New Delhi soon to 'cooperate' in the investigations into the Mumbai terror attacks in which Pakistani elements are suspected to be involved.
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Dr Singh had requested Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to depute Pasha to India 'to cooperate in the investigations of the Mumbai attack and for sharing certain information'.
Dr Singh also received a call from President Asif Ali Zardari, who assured him that Islamabad 'will cooperate with India in exposing and apprehending the culprits and masterminds behind' the attacks in Mumbai.
The President told Dr Singh, "Non-state actors wanted to force upon the governments their own agenda but they must not be allowed to succeed. We should not fall into the trap of terrorists."
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Accepting the Indian prime minister's request, Gilani said: "The two sides will work out modalities for the visit of the ISI chief, which is expected to take place soon."
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had, earlier in the day, said in Jodhpur that 'some elements' based in Pakistan were responsible for the terror strikes in Mumbai.
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Mukherjee noted that Pakistan had assured not to allow territories under its control to be used for terrorism against India. Indicating involvement of Pakistani elements in the Mumbai strikes, Dr Singh had on Thursday said India would not tolerate use of territories of its neighbours for launch of attacks against it and that 'there would be a cost if suitable measures are not taken by them'.
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This would be the first instance of a chief of Pakistan's spy agency visiting India in connection with the investigation of a terror attack.
Lt Gen Pasha was recently appointed chief of the Pakistani spy agency by Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.
Both Zardari and Gilani condemned the attacks and extended full support to the Indian government in jointly combating terrorism and extremism. Expressing shock over the incident, Zardari told Dr Singh that it had opened up his own wounds as his wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, too ha fallen prey to terrorism.
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Gilani said Pakistan itself had suffered due to terrorism and that there should be collective action against the scourge.
The decision to send the ISI chief to India came after Gilani met Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and apprised him about the discussions he held with Dr Singh.
Zardari and Gilani met at the presidency in Islamabad to discuss the security situation in the wake of Wednesday's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, television channels quoted officials as saying.
