Calling Union Home Secretary G K Pillai one of the finest civil servants in the country and fully backing his comments on the ISIs role in the Mumbai terror attack,External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today said that the timing of the Home Secretarys comments could have waited for his return from Pakistan since talks between the two countries is too sensitive. He said the talks will go on. It is learnt that Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has,in the first official communication after the Islamabad trip,sent a letter to the External Affairs Minister expressing condolences on the train mishap in West Bengal. Last week,Pillai, speaking to The Indian Express at Idea Exchange said: The real sense that has come out from Headleys interrogation is that the ISI has had a much more significant role to play (in 26/11). It was not just a peripheral role. They were literally controlling and coordinating it (the attacks) from the beginning till the end. Speaking to The Indian Express today,the External Affairs Minister said: There is nothing wrong in what Pillai had said. Pillai is one of the finest civil servants.(he) had an exemplary record. Pillai has spoken about the revelations of Headley to FBI,which was conveyed to Pakistan also. I have taken up the issue of Headleys disclosures in the strongest manner with the Pakistan authorities. The timing of Pillais remarks could have waited for my arrival from Pakistan as India-Pakistan talks are too sensitive, the External Affairs minister said,adding that the India-Pakistan dialogue will continue. On Qureshis comments at the joint press conference bracketing Pillai with Lashkar-e-Toiba founder Hafiz Saeed,he said,I didnt want to make a comment on Qureshis remark that day because he didnt deserve that comment.Nowhere could you compare Hafiz Saeed and Pillai,Hafiz Saeed is a anti-India campaigner and can never be compared to Pillai. On whether he has spoken to the PM,he said,I have had discussions with PM and details of my discussions are classified. When asked if he has had a conversation with the Home Minister,he said,The MEA and Home Ministry have got excellent coordination and I have been having regular discussions with the Home Minister.
