Pakistan ready for war: Qureshi

Islamabad, Dec 10: Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the Pakistan's Foreign Minister said on Wednesday, Dec 10 that his country is ready for war with India, if it's imposed on them. "We do not want to impose war, but we are fully prepared in case war is imposed on us. We are not oblivious to our responsibilities to defend our homeland and it is a clear message. We want love and friendship, we want peace and stability in this region, but our peace mission should not be understood as the weakness of Pakistan," Shah Mahmood Qureshi said to media persons.

terror attacks and said that if found any He also denied handing over to India any of its citizens to be linked to the Nov 26 MumbaiPak individual to be involved in the incident, they will be tried under the nation's law. Qureshi said, "The arrests are being made for our own investigations. Even if allegations are proved against any suspect, he will not be handed over to India. We will proceed against those arrested under Pakistani laws," he said. India has asked Pakistan to hand over Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar and Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Lakvi in connection with Mumbai terror attacks. It has also demanded 18 other most wanted bad elements.

Qureshi added that Pak government had made it clear that it was not invloved in any way in the Mumbai strikes. Also he said that government is willing for a joint investigation in the Mumbai terror attacks in India, but had not yet received a response from Indian side.

Ironically, Qureshi's statement came in just after Pakistan's Defence Minister, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar in an interview to CNN-IBN news channel assured that his government is willing to co-operate with India in terror investigations. Mukhtar said, "Forget the past as there was no civilian government but President Asif Ali Zardari is willing to discuss and find solutions."

OneIndia News (With inputs from Agencies)