It's about Pakistan's commitment: India

India is hardening its stand vis-a-vis Pakistan three weeks after the Mumbai terror attacks [Images].
"Everything with Pakistan is on pause," said a senior official in the Government of India.
The Indian government is more or less convinced that Mumbai attacks have been carried out by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba [Images], which cannot function without the help of Pakistan's establishment.
However, India would wait for investigations to be completed before making any charges against the Pakistan Army [Images] or the Inter Services Intelligence or elements in the ISI.
In the hardest reaction since the Mumbai terror attacks, a source told the media that India wants Masood Azhar, Dawood Ibrahim [Images] and others to subject to Indian justice system.
The benchmark is being fixed in the form of a firm demand to hand over these terrorists to India.
"Let us see what Pakistan is capable of doing," said the official.
A source said, "Actually, it's not even about Masood Azhar, it's about the commitment of Pakistan. It is about accepting the principle about handing them over to India."
He added, "India's policy is two-fold. India wants to prevent the reoccurrence of such attacks and two; India wants punishment for the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks and previous attacks. Let us see what Pakistan does, we will do what we have to do."
There is no timeframe fixed, said the source.
When asked about India's military options, if any, he said, "Nobody in the right frame of mind will give you an answer to that." He dismissed a query as a "silly question."
The Indian government has sent the ball now to Pakistan's court, he said.
India is trying to send the message that unless they start handing over fugitives to the Indian justice system, Pakistan's credibility on its commitment to fight terrorism will remain under question. The source said in the recent past Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh [Images] has told Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari [Images] about the extradition of Ibrahim and Masood Azhar. Even the day before Mumbai attacks, India's home secretary had told his Pakistan counterpart about it.
Talking about giving evidence to the Pakistan government about the involvement of Pakistan-based elements in the Mumbai attack, the source said once the investigations are over, India will share it. But, India's past experience is not encouraging because Pakistan remains in denial mode. "Pakistan doesn't have credibility whenever we have given evidence." The official implied that telephone numbers and addresses are denied and credible inquiry doesn't take place.
"They have evidence of previous attacks in India. They can and should act on the basis of what they already have, otherwise there will be consequences," said the source.
Pakistan has said that if India provides evidence they will themselves prosecute the accused whom India wants. In response, the source mentioned that when Benazir Bhutto [Images] was assassinated, Pakistan asked for the UN's assistance. That's the law situation they are talking about, he said.
Also, he added that Azhar was charge-sheeted and the process of law was on in India when he was released after the hijack of an Indian plane to Kandahar, Afghanistan.
The Indian government had to quash the charge-sheet so that he could be flown to Kandahar in exchange for the hijacked Indian passengers. The Indian side claimed that it's wrong to claim that the Indian justice system didn't even charge-sheet him when he was in Indian jail for three years.
In reply to various questions regarding Maood Azhar and Ibrahim's extradition and existing laws, the official insisted, "If Pakistan wants it is in a position to hand them over to India. It makes no legal sense. Their laws and the international law allow them to do it. Why can't they do it?"
When asked if such "impossible" demands are made then it's possible that the elected government may come under pressure and may fall which may not help India eventually, the source said , "It is not true. When the the Jaish-e Mohammad was found involved in the Indian Parliament attack in 2001 along with the LeT, it's chief Azhar was kept under house arrest and there were no wild reactions within Pakistan."
The Indian government believes that an unprecedented level of international pressure is being put on Pakistan to act against the terrorist elements in the country. The banning of Jamaat-ul-Dawa is one such thing.
Speaking about Pakistan's response after the Mumbai attacks, the source said, "Pakistan has multiple centres of power. The flip-flop by Pakistan shows they are confused. The civilian government's offer to send the ISI chief to India was gutted within six hours. Why should there be war hysteria if Pakistan doesn't have anything to hide? Why do you do a cover-up if you are not involved?"
At present, the government in New Delhi [Images] is alert that there are different voices in Islamabad [Images] and such a situation is unprecedented.
Elaborating further, the official said India's diplomatic options are all on table. India believes that it is difficult to judge who is in power in Islamabad and who is not. One has to depend on who is talking and at what time.
The source also said that it is not India's concern to make sure that the elected government remains in power in Islamabad. India didn't choose Pervez Musharraf [Images] but dealt with him. In the same way, whoever is in power in Islamabad, India will deal with it.
The source also said if needed, India will also talk to the Pakistan Army which wields real authority.
During the 2001 crisis, India had to deal with Musharraf, the only centre of power. This time there are many fragments. The times are different and India's response will be different, the source said.
Talking about America, the Indian side clearly said that within Pakistan the US has clear leverage when compared to any other country. The US will do what suits them. There can't be 100 percent congruence of interests between the two countries but whatever suits India it should accept, he said.
He made it clear that India is aware of powerful nations' limitations to help India. He said, "They (US and other Western powers) are not you, and you are not them."
When asked if the Mumbai attacks is more about the issue of Afghanistan between America and Pakistan than about India and Pakistan, the government source tended to agree.
"It's true. The LeT is no more about Kashmir. The LeT branded technology is spreading to Iran, Chechnya and other parts. It's more like Al Qaeda [Images] now. The Mumbai attack was a different kind of attack. The terrorists were completely organised."
India understands that the fight in Afghanistan is also important and Pakistan may want to divert attention from the western border, but India will first and foremost look for the "desired outcome."
The source pointed out that the LeT has carried out attacks within Pakistan, but its Pakistan links are clear. Even now it is continuing to update its website, he said.
When asked why the bus service between India and Pakistan is continuing in spite of the fact that the peace process is stalled, he said, "Those people climbing on the bus have not done it."
The government also clarified today that India has not gone to the United Nations Security Council because of its bad experience in the past.
"We have not gone to the UNSC. We have not taken any decision to go either."
The government is looking into all kinds of options to try fugitives in Pakistan who are needed in India.
India will harp on one demand right now, that India wants the perpetrators of terrorism to face Indian justice. The official also said only as the last resort it may consider these fugitives based in Pakistan to be tried in the International Criminal Court.