Making it clear that India does not want war, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said Pakistan should dismantle the 'terror machine' and asked the international community to use its 'power' to persuade Islamabad to do so.
He added that India wants Pakistan to dismantle the terror machinery operating in its territory.
Coverage: Terror attacks in Mumbai
"The issue is not war. Nobody wants war," Dr Singh told media persons outside Parliament when asked to comment on the present stand-off with Pakistan over the Mumbai terror attacks.
He said India wanted Pakistan to make 'objective efforts to dismantle terror machine' and added that Islamabad 'knows what it implies'.
'Talk of war, surgical strikes is ill-advised'
Referring to 'many' UN resolutions prohibiting member countries from allowing terrorism to emanate from their territories, Dr Singh said Pakistan should "comply with those resolutions".
At the same time, he said: "The international community should use its power to persuade Pakistan (to end terrorism)."
Speaking on the controversy raked up by Minority Affairs Minister A R Antulay, he said, "The Home Minister has placed on record the government's misgivings on the issue. The issue should now be allowed to rest."
In separate comments, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee asked Pakistan to desist from creating a 'war hysteria' and act against those responsible for the deadly strikes in Mumbai.
Pak's terror infrastructure is world's greatest danger
"My request to friends in Pakistan is to address the issue that is terrorism and not raise war hysteria," Mukherjee told media persons outside Parliament.
Maintaining that the issue to be addressed by Pakistan is the "sinister attack in Mumbai", he said: "India has requested action against people in Pakistan. We request Pakistan to act on our request."
The comments by the prime minister and Mukherjee assume significance as these come a day after Pakistan Air Force conducted air manoeuvres, apparently to prepare for a conflict.
India feels that Pakistan is resorting to such tactics to divert attention from Mumbai attacks over which it is facing mounting international pressure.
Mukherjee said Pakistan must honour the commitments given by its two Presidents -- Pervez Musharraf in January 2004 and Asif Ali Zardari in September 2008 -- not to allow the territories under its control to be used for terrorism.
Additional Reportage by PTI
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