ISLAMABAD – India lacks courage to unearth the role of Hindu extremists and their links with some Indian Army personnel in the Samjhota Express bombing, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit told Pakistan Today on Saturday.
He said it was “unfortunate” that India had been unable to complete its investigations into the Samjhota Express blasts, despite the passage of four years. “We do not know how many more years India will need to bring the perpetrators of the Samjhota terrorist act to justice, and provide relief to the families of the victims,” he said.
Expressing dismay over the slow probe into the Samjhota Express bombings by Indian authorities, Basit said, “India seems to be lacking the courage to unearth culpability of Hindu extremists and their links with some Indian Army personnel.”
Responding to a question about the progress on the investigation into the bombings that had left 68 persons killed, including 42 Pakistani nationals, the spokesman said, “It is unfortunate that India, which used terrorism as propaganda against Pakistan, has still not been able to complete its investigations into Samjhota bombings”. He said despite the passage of four years, India somewhat conveniently asserts that its investigations were incomplete.
Asked about the way the case was being handled, Basit said, “It doesn’t inspire much hope.” The spokesman emphasised that India needed to bridge the gap between “what it says and what it does.”