No backing off, Pak says will hit back if attacked

As the pressure from the international community mounts to crack down on terror, Pakistan has gone on a defensive, saying it will fight back any country’s attempt to “encroach upon its rights”.

"I wish to tell my countrymen that rest assured that it is peace that we want and not war,” Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani said, adding, "If anyone wants to encroach upon our rights, or impose themselves on us, we are capable of fighting back and the citizens of Pakistan need not worry on that account at all as the country is strong and in capable hands."

Gilani said his country’s biggest problem was poverty when asked if Mohammad Ajmal Kasab – the terrorist captured alive after 26/11 attacks - had taken to the terror route because of lack of money and resources.

"I stand here to help alleviate poverty. The root cause of terrorism is poverty, hunger, disease and unemployment,” he said.

"Neither are we in favour of terrorism, nor do we encourage it. In fact, it is our resolve to not allow the use of our country's territory for terrorism related operations. and if compliance to guidelines is concerned, it is the UN resolution that we are abiding by, It is not something India has done to us or brought into effect. This resolve has been in effect since 2001,” he said.

Gilani’s defence came on a day when UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown met his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh – and later Gilani as well – and demanded answers from Pakistan. Brown said Pakistan had a lot to answer for.

Relations between India and Pakistan have been at an all-time low since a Pakistan link to the November 26 Mumbai attacks was established.

Manmohan Singh did some plain speaking at a rally in Anantnag on Sunday and said relations with the neighbour country would return to a semblance of normalcy only after the terror networks operating out of there are dismantled.

Dawn News correspondent Mateen Haider spoke with CNN-IBN and said there many theories floating in Pakistan about Kasab's actual identity.

“It’s not clear if Kasab is a Pakistani. Pak envoy to UN has demanded that India should A43¶provoide constant access to Kasab so that his identity can be established. Gilani has taken a more harsh position towards India and has made it clear that armed forces of Pak are ready to meet any aggression. There have been reports that Kasab is Pakistani but reports are dubious. But there was another that he was kidnapped by Indian intelligence agencies from Nepal couple of years ago, along with other Pakistan,” he said.

At least 217 people were killed and over 400 injured when armed terrorists held various buildings - the Chhatrapati Shivaji Railway terminus, Hotel Taj Mahal, Hotel Oberoi-Trident and Nariman House - across Mumbai hostage opened indiscriminate fire.