Pakistan on Friday handed over to India its 13th dossier on the Mumbai terror attacks case and details of the commission Islamabad wants to send to India for pursuing the case. According to a statement put out by the Foreign Office well past midnight, Pakistan has also requested the Indian Government to facilitate the visit of the proposed commission.
The dossier and details of the proposed commission were handed over to the Indian Deputy High Commissioner Rahul Kulshreshth by Director-General (South Asia) Afrasiab. Pakistan has also sought more information from India on the case.
With the Mumbai terror attacks case – being heard in an anti-terror court in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail – making no progress as the testimony of the lone accused nabbed alive in the attack, Ajmal Kasab, is not admissible here, Pakistan had suggested that a commission be set up to visit India to record the statements of the key witnesses.
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Though Islamabad has been talking about setting up such a commission under Chapter XL of Pakistan’s Code of Criminal Procedure, it gathered steam after India rejected a request from Islamabad to send Kasab and other key witnesses to Pakistan for testifying in the trial court here.
Earlier this week, India-bound U. S. President Barack Obama had urged Pakistan to expedite the Mumbai case trial. Responding to this, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit had said: ``Pakistan is committed to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack to justice. Nevertheless, we need India’s assistance and cooperation for a successful completion of the trial. At our end, we are sparing no effort.’’