Leave India as soon as possible: Pranab Mukherjee told Pak Minister after 2008 Mumbai attacks

New Delhi: A day after the deadly terror attacks struck the heart of Mumbai in 2008, the then External Minister Pranab Mukherjee had called Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and told him to return to his country immediately. 

Mukherjee made these revelations in his new book, "The Coalition Years, 1996-2012", that was released on Friday. 

He wrote in the book that after the four-day seizure began, he came to know that Pakistani Foreign Minister was holding a press conference in Mumbai. 

The book mentions that Pranab decided to interrupt the press meet and asked one of the journalists, he knew would be attending the conference, to inform the Pakistani minister that he wants to speak to him on an urgent basis. 

When Pranab got Qureshi on the phone line, he asked the latter to leave the country immediately and go back in the wake of terror attacks on Mumbai. 

"Mr Minister, no purpose will be served by your continuing to stay in India in these circumstances. I advise you to leave immediately. My official aircraft is available to take you back home. But it would be desirable if a decision is taken as quickly as possible," Mukherjee told the minister.

The book also mentions that in return, the Pakistani minister expressed his gratitude and informed Pranab that a Pakistani aircraft would take him back home. 

The BJP had then accused the UPA government's alleged soft stance towards Pakistan for the attacks. 

Meanwhile, Islamabad has continued to deny any knowledge of the strike and has claimed that no concrete evidence has been produced by India so far that could link Pakistan-based outfits behind the 2008 attacks.