Pakistan needs to come clean on terrorism, says Germany

New Delhi, July 14 (IANS) Germany Saturday made it clear to Pakistan that it needs to "come clean" over terror allegations, whether those are true or not, as this will be in its best interests.

German ambassador to India Michael Steiner, who took over this week, told reporters here that it did not matter whether the terror charges are proved in a court of law or not, but it was necessary that Pakistan clarify the "clear distinction" between its state institutions and terror outfits.

He was responding to queries about the recent revelations by terror suspect Abu Jundal, who was deported from Saudi Arabia last month, of Pakistani state players' involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that left 166 dead and over 230 injured in 2008.

"It is well understood that it is in the best interests of Pakistan, whether it is true or not, for it to come clean on any rumours and allegations and to really clarify that there is a clear distinction between its state institutions and any terrorist acts," said Steiner, who was previously a special envoy of Germany to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Jundal, an Indian who fled to Pakistan after involvement in terror acts here and later masterminded the Mumbai terror strikes along with Laskhar-e-Taiba top brass, had recently revealed that there were officers of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the control room set up in Karachi by the terror outfit to direct the 10 terrorists who sneaked into the Indian megapolis on Nov 26, 2008.

India has time and again pointed out to the international community the involvement of Pakistan state actors in terror attacks on India. In particular, India has cornered Pakistan over ISI's role in the Mumbai attacks.

"There are some indications, not really proven in a judicial way. But it doesn't matter how far they are true or not. I think it is in the interest of Pakistan to make it clear that its policies have no links, whatsoever, with these (terror) forces which are directed against us all and also directed against legal institutions of Pakistan itself. That is the real danger for Pakistan," Steiner said.

Steiner, who was the key German official hosting the Bonn conference on Afghanistan last year, also reiterated the commitment of the international community to help the war-torn nation to "transition" towards peace by 2014 and to continue helping it in a "transformation" into a stable nation.

He also noted that the message of the Bonn conference, which Pakistan did not attend but India did, was "not to repeat the mistakes that were committed when Russia (erstwhile Soviet Union) left Afghanistan" in the late 1980s, following which the radical elements in Afghanistan overthrew the government under Mohammed Najibullah.