The Hindu : Front Page : Pakistan gives probe team 10 days

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 19, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

Pakistan gives probe team 10 days

Nirupama Subramanian

“Nothing done under foreign pressure”

India asked to come up with more information
Anyone found guilty will be tried in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A three-man team of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency tasked with conducting an investigation on the basis of the Indian dossier on the Mumbai attacks has been given 10 days to report back with its findings.

Rehman Malik, who heads the Interior Ministry, told journalists that the government would also try to “convert” the information given by India into evidence so that cases could be registered against the perpetrators in Pakistan, in order to bring them to trial in the country.

He asked India to come up with more information to help the Pakistani end of the investigations.

As the Pakistani links of the Mumbai attacks begin to sink in, the government has been at pains to emphasise that “nothing is being done under foreign pressure.”

In different interactions with the media over the weekend, Mr. Malik said Pakistan had launched an investigation on its own and that “no country can dictate the country’s policies.”

In an interview to Geo televison, he said Pakistan, as a member of the international community and of several international fora, was duty-bound to fulfil certain “obligations,” and it was in pursuance of these that it started taking action against those with suspected links to the Mumbai attacks.

Mr. Malik said that if any Pakistani was found involved in the attacks, which he described as a “heinous” crime, he would be brought to trial in Pakistan.

Asked what Pakistan would do if India insisted on extradition of the suspects, Mr. Malik said his government would demand the extradition of the Samjhauta Express bombing suspect, Lt. Col. Shrikant Purohit.

PTI reports:

Mr. Malik told the media in Lahore that action had been taken against outlawed groups such as the Jamaat-ud-Dawah by the provincial government of Punjab.

Mr. Malik said he would meet leaders of other political parties soon to brief them on the Federal Investigation Agency probe.

Relates Stories:

Pakistan must cooperate fully with Mumbai probe, says France

Pakistan promises fair probe

Manmohan asks Pakistan to disclose all facts

No dilution of position, says Pranab

Pakistan briefs Indian envoy

Act faster on 26/11: Miliband

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page