New Delhi, June 26 (IBNS): The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said the arrest of Pakistan based India-born handler and a key suspect of 26/11 Mumbai attack Abu Hamza or Abu Jindal is an 'achievement' for India.
"We are all happy and this is an achievement for the country," MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said said while addressing a press conference on Tuesday.
Jindal, who was arrested from the New Delhi airport on June 21, reportedly was in Saudi Arabia to collect funds on behalf of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) for a major strike again in India and that he was deported by the Arab nation.
In this backdrop, the MEA official said India and Saudi Arabia shares 'excellent' ties.
Akbaruddin acknowledged the efforts made by Saudi Arabia in deporting Jindal and said Indian and Saudi Arabia has always shared cordial relationship.
"We have cordial relation with Saudi Arabia," he said. "We can describe our relationship as excellent."
Akbaruddin said India and Pakistan foreign minister level talks have been postponed apparently owing to Presidential polls in India and a new date in August is being considered.
Earlier reports said Pakistan wanted the talks to be held on July 19, but that was the date of the Presidential polls and so the Indian side sought postponement.
The MEA official said the postponing of talks is not related to the recent arrest of the key suspect and Pakistan based India-born handler in the 26/11 attack of Mumbai.
"Rescheduling is based on what is suitable to us and what is suitable to the authorities in Pakistan. We are looking at a date sometime in August," Akbaruddin said.
"Please do not think scheduling issues is outcome of substantive problem," he said.
"As regards the issue of change of the dates it is purely a scheduling issue because of scheduling of another engagement. We will finalize on new dates," he said, indicating External Affairs Minister S M Krishna would also be a voter in the Presidential polls.
He said: "At the end there should be a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan. We are working keeping that in mind."
