Helping India in punishing perpetrators will strengthen India-Pak relation: Congress

New Delhi [India], Mar. 7 (ANI): Hailing the revelation made by Pakistan's former national security advisor Mahmud Ali Durrani on the Mumbai 26/11 terror attack, the Congress Party on Tuesday said the relation between India and Pakistan would strengthen if the latter helps India in giving punishment to the perpetrators. 'This was known to us from the very beginning but we welcome Durrani's statement. This somewhere proves the claim which has been made by India from very beginning. I hope this would not be taken as just a statement and Pakistan government should come forward and help India in giving punishment to the perpetrators," Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit told ANI. He further said India-Pakistan relation would improve and peace would be maintained if Islamabad helps New Delhi in punishing the perpetrators of Mumbai terror attack. Durrani yesterday said the November 26, 2008 terror attack in Mumbai was carried out by a terror group based in Pakistan, adding that it was a classic trans-border terrorist event. "26/11 Mumbai attack carried out by a terror group based in Pakistan is a classic trans-border terrorist event," he said while speaking at the 19th Asian Security Conference being held at the Institute of Defence and Studies and Analyses. Durrani also added that Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed had no utility and Pakistan should act against him. Durrani, a retired army general, was the National Security Advisor to the Pakistani government when 10 Pakistani terrorists sneaked into Mumbai after hijacking a boat and killed at least 164 people and wounding 308 across the city. New Delhi has provided ample evidence to Islamabad over involvement of top Lashkar-e-Taiba commanders in the November 26, 2008 attacks. However, Pakistan has denied all such allegations blaming 'non-state actors' for the incident. (ANI)