NEW DELHI (PTI)
India today condemned the ''brutal and senseless'' murder of Wall StreetJournal correspondent Daniel Pearl, saying it has once again drawn attention tothe criminal forces of terror that continue to operate in Pakistan.
''It is a tragedy. His murder is a crime and an act of terror that wewholeheartedly condemn,'' External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Nirupama Raotold reporters.
''We are deeply saddened by the death of Daniel Pearl. His brutal andsenseless murder has once again drawn attention to the criminal forces of terrorthat continue to operate in Pakistani territory to pursue their agenda ofsupport to mindless violence and hatred and to those who had received supportand a safe haven in Pakistan,'' she said.
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Asked about Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's comments that he wouldtrack down everyone involved in the gruesome killing, Rao said ''much more needsto be done by Pakistan to root out such terrorist groups, individuals and forcesin that country.'' Observing that a number of such groups continued to operatein Pakistan, she said Pearl's murder proved beyond any doubt that ''there is aproblem in Pakistan. Rooting out of that problem has not been completed''.
She said ''our concerns on cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan anddirected against India still continues.'' The spokesperson said in response to aspate of questions that Pearl's death will need to be investigated properly andperpetrators of the crime brought to justice.
Responding to a question on Pakistani claims at tackling terrorism, thespokesperson said ''we are certainly not in a trance. Our eyes are wide open''.
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She replied in the negative on whether Pakistan had responded to India'srequest that it share information on the involvement of Omar Sheikh Saeed in thehijacking of the Indian Airlines aircraft from Kathmandu to Kandahar in December1999, the October one attack on Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and the December 13strike on Parliament.
