26/11: Pakistan wants Indian witnesses to depose in its court

The ball is in India’s court, says prosecution chief.

Updated - November 28, 2021 09:45 pm IST - Lahore

Pakistan has directed a top official to follow up with India the issue of sending 24 witnesses of 26/11 Mumbai attack case to Pakistan to record their statements so that trial could be completed at the earliest.

“The Foreign Ministry has written to its Director-General, South Asia, to take up with the Indian Government the matter of sending 24 Indian witnesses to Pakistan for recording their statements at the trial court here,” prosecution chief (in Mumbai case) Chaudhry Azhar told PTI.

He said earlier the Foreign Ministry had directly written to the Indian Government about sending the 24 witnesses to Pakistan.

“We have already made it clear that the Mumbai case cannot move forward unless India sends its witnesses,” he said.

According to the prosecution, all Pakistani witnesses have recorded their statements.

“The ball is in India’s court. If it wants early conclusion of the Mumbai case it will have to send its witnesses here,” Mr. Azhar, who is also a special prosecutor of the Federal Investigation Agency, said.

Additional evidence Recently the Pakistan Foreign Office said it had asked India to provide “additional evidence” for the early completion of the trial.

India has been urging Pakistan to complete the trial at the earliest. It has said that enough evidence has been shared with Pakistan to prosecute the accused.

Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum are accused of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attack.

Lakhvi is living at an undisclosed location after he got released from jail on bail a year ago. The other six suspects are in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.

The case has been going on in the country for more than six years.

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