Iranian Prez asks Pak to ‘arrest’,’deliver’ terrorists

Ahmadinejad asked Zardari to “commission the intelligence organ of his country to identify,arrest and deliver the well-known terrorists to the Islamic Republic of Iran to stand for a fair trial.”

Ahmadinejad said Iran’s intelligence agencies are “ready for exchange of information with Pakistan.”

“Cooperation and decisive joint actions would beyond doubt lead to the uprooting of terrorism in the region,” he said.

Zardari assured his Iranian counterpart that Pakistan “would spare no effort and assistance in cooperation for uprooting terrorism.”

He asked Ahmadinejad to convey his deep sorrow to the Iranian people and the kin of the victims of the recent terrorist attack in Chabahar.

On Saturday,Iranian Ambassador Mashallah Shakeri handed over a communique to Interior Minister Rehman Malik demanding Pakistan’s cooperation in investigating the Chabahar suicide bombing that killed nearly 40 people and injured over 100.

Iran has asked Pakistan to act against the Jundullah (Army of God) terrorist group,which claimed responsibility for the attack on a Shia procession on December 15.

Iran has often alleged that Jundullah operatives are based and trained in Pakistan.

Iranian authorities said they had caught one of the bomber’s accomplices at the border,apparently trying to slip back into Pakistan.

Pakistan and Iran have reportedly agreed to a meeting of their Interior Ministers in Istanbul on the sidelines of an upcoming Economic Cooperation Organisation meeting to address the fallout of the suicide attack.

Since the Chabahar bombing,several Iranian leaders have criticised Pakistan for its failure to end Jundallah sanctuaries in its territory and prevent cross-border movements of the group’s activists.

Iran’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Maj Gen Hassan Firouzabadi said yesterday that Pakistan is Iran’s friend “but unfortunately it does not control terrorists.”

He added: “If Pakistan fails to control terrorist attacks on its borders like recent years,we will exercise our legitimate rights.”