New York bomb plot Taliban payback: Qureshi

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WASHINGTON: The foiled New York car bomb attack blamed on a Pakistani-American could be retaliation for US drone attacks on the Taliban, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi warned Wednesday.

"This is retaliation. And you could expect that... let's not be naive," Qureshi told CBS television. "They're not going to sort of sit and welcome you (to) sort of eliminate them. They're going to fight back," he added. -AFP

APP adds from Islamabad: Foreign Minister Qureshi said Faisal Shahzad is now a naturalized American and he is not a Pakistani citizen in real sense as he is a US citizen. "What the US wants is for us to help find out his links and relatives here in Pakistan as he definitely has relatives here. Pakistan is an ally country and we will definitely help the US," he said while talking to a private TV channel.

Qureshi said Pakistan was striving hard to eradicate terrorism and its strategy is clear for every one. Pakistan has suffered from terrorism more than any other country, he said, adding India should realize Pakistan is victim of terrorism and facing a difficult situation.

"I think, we should sit together and devise a joint strategy against the terrorism. It is easy to criticize but difficult to act. Terrorism is a challenge and it has no borders, colour, creed and religion or territory. It has a global connotation," he said.

When quizzed about Ajmal Kasab, Qureshi said a process is under way and Pakistan would review minutely the detailed verdict of the court and then would respond to it. About the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline he said, "Pakistan has immediate energy needs. We had not objected to Indian participation in the project. We even today have urged Iran to leave the room in the project as India might join it at the later stage. I see India coming back to IPI gas pipeline project".

Online adds: Qureshi said he would contact his Indian counterpart S M Krishna this month to suggest two sets of dates for a meeting to work out modalities for the resumption of dialogue between the two countries.

"My intention is to invite (Krishna) to Pakistan. We can sit together and take up things according to the responsibility entrusted to us by the two prime ministers and move forward," he said. The minister said that if Krishna is unable to visit Pakistan for any reason, he would be willing to go to India in the "spirit of engagement and take things forward".