On New Year’s eve, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari delivered a personal assurance to US’ President Bush over the phone – that Pakistan would not allow non-state actors on its soil to attack other countries.However, Islamabad appears to be going slow. Under its nose, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa is planning change its name to Tehreek-e-Hurmat-e-Rasool, or Teher, to avoid restrictions. It also is not keen on US’ demand to allow an FBI team to interrogate Zarar Shah and Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi – the Lashkar operatives involved in the Mumbai attacks.

Washington says the team could be in Islamabad within days provided Islamabad gives the green signal.Pakistan’s envoy to the United Nations, Abduallah Husain Haroon said, "If Zarar Shah has been detained, then the Pakistan government is taking action, which is a positive sign. I don’t know if he is the technical mastermind behind Mumbai."Earlier an FBI team sent to Faridkot – the village of Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist caught alive after the 26/11 attacks – drew a blank. They found nothing there by way of any evidence. Meanwhile a US embassy spokesman in Islamabad said his country has never said the Mumbai terror suspects should be handed over to India for trial. The spokesman clarified that Washington would be satisfied if they were tried under Pakistani law.This statement appears to knock out the possibility however remote of the Lashkar masterminds being sent to India. It’s not clear however if the US would like to take the suspects out of Pakistan for interrogation and trial. Six Americans were killed during the Mumbai attacks which may attract penalties under US law