Mukherjee says Zardari ‘sincere’ in war on terror

Mukherjee says Zardari ‘sincere’ in war on terror

Saturday, 28 Feb, 2009 | 01:16 PM PST |

Indian foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee gestures during a summit in Dhaka in this file photo. - Reuters

Pakistan-India relations:

Composite dialogue

NEW DELHI: India believes Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is sincere about fighting terror but wants him to match his words with action, foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee was quoted as saying Saturday by AFP.

Foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee described Zardari as a ‘nice man’ and a ‘gentleman’ whose wife, former premier Benazir Bhutto, was a victim of a ‘senseless brutal terror attack,’ the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

‘I would like to say I believe in his (Zardari's) sincerity because he himself is a victim of a terror attack,’ Mukherjee said, referring to Bhutto's killing in a gun and suicide attack in December 2007.

‘I believe he (Zardari) has a desire to fight against terrorism,’ the minister said but added: ‘My belief is not adequate. It must be backed by action taken by the government and authorities of Pakistan.’

India has been relentless in piling pressure on Islamabad to close down what it says are training camps for Islamic militant groups in Pakistan since the November 26-29 Mumbai militant attacks in which 165 people were killed.