Indian PM meets bombing victims, slams Pakistan

MUMBAI - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accused Pakistan today of breaking its word by continuing to harbour Islamist extremists, as he met victims of the Mumbai blasts and promised to help them rebuild their lives.

The prime minister, who had tears in his eyes when he met victims whose arms and legs had been amputated, said a peace process with nuclear rival Pakistan was threatened if Islamabad did not curb "terrorist" violence directed at India.

"We are also certain that these terrorist modules are instigated, inspired and supported by elements across the border without which they cannot act with such devastating effect," Singh said.

"Pakistan in 2004 had solemnly given an assurance that Pakistani territory will not be used to promote, encourage, train and abet terrorist elements directed against India. That assurance has to be fulfilled before the peace process or other processes can make progress."

Singh's comments came at the end of a brief visit to the country's financial capital, which was hit by a wave of bomb blasts this week in which 179 people were killed and hundreds more wounded.

Although there has been no breakthrough in investigations into the attack, Indian officials have said that Pakistan-based Islamist militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency are the prime suspects.

Pakistan was quick to counter Singh, saying the peace process should go on despite the attacks.

"The peace process between Pakistan and India is a separate matter. It is in the interest of both," Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said.

Doubts were also being raised on whether a meeting between the foreign secretaries of the old foes -- to review the peace process -- would be held as scheduled next week. Sources in New Delhi said the talks were likely to be put off.

Islamabad has denied any involvement in the serial bombings and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf offered yesterday to help India investigate the attacks.

But Indian officials said investigations suggested a Pakistani intelligence hand in the bombings.

"Activists of SIMI have probably facilitated this but the planning was ISI," a senior Home Ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters in New Delhi.

He was referring to the outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India and the Inter-Services Intelligence agency of Pakistan.

Indian National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan also told a cabinet meeting on Thursday that investigations suggested a Pakistani intelligence hand in the bombings, the official said.

Investigators have made sketches of three other suspects seen at sites of the attacks, which hit crowded railway carriages and stations in the nation's financial hub during evening rush-hour.

Islamabad challenged New Delhi to come up with evidence that the ISI was involved in the blasts.

"In the past two days, India has not given us anything in writing or talked of any evidence," Aslam, the Pakistani foreign ministry spokeswoman, said. "The accusation that the ISI masterminded the attack is baseless."

Mumbai police stepped up security in the city as Prime Minister Singh visited two hospitals to meet some of the victims of the bombings.

Singh talked to patients, their relatives and doctors in several trauma wards of the hospitals and consoled the wounded. Some said they were overwhelmed to meet him.

"He told me 'Get well soon, God bless you'," said Tejas Pathak, a 29-year-old stockbroker, badly wounded in the head and face. "I congratulated him for economic reforms in India."

Indian analysts are calling for New Delhi to re-think its relations with Musharraf, arguing he may have lost his ability to control Islamist militants in Pakistan.

"If Musharraf is not willing, or is unable to deliver an end to cross-border terrorism, the government could conclude that it is no longer possible to do business with him," foreign policy commentator C. Raja Mohan wrote in The Indian Express.

Lashkar has long operated in Indian-ruled Kashmir, but is believed to have expanded its area of operations recently.

Lashkar has denied any role in the Mumbai attacks calling them "inhuman and barbaric acts".

- REUTERS