Islamabad has told New Delhi that recently obtained evidence of the Mumbai attacks is inadmissible in court because Pakistanis were not allowed to cross-examine Indian officials, a lawyer said Wednesday.
The interior ministry wrote formally to the Indian government after a court rejected the evidence in July on the basis that the Pakistanis could not question Indian officials, prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar told AFP. The letter is likely to aggravate New Delhi, which has branded Pakistan’s attempts at prosecuting seven alleged conspirators a “facade” and has insisted it has already handed over enough evidence to convict the accused. Pakistan charged the seven men over the 2008 Mumbai attacks in 2009, but insists it needs to gather more evidence in India before proceeding further.
“Defence lawyers were not given an opportunity to cross examine Indian officials,” said Zulfiqar, who headed the judicial commission’s visit in March. Pakistan wanted Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, who is the sole surviving gunman from the attacks and sentenced to death in India, to testify, but he was not included among the interviewees requested by the panel.
The Pakistani commission recorded the statements of Indian investigators, doctors who performed autopsies and the magistrate who took Kasab’s confession. India blames Pakistani militants from Lashkar-e-Taiba of carrying out the attacks that killed 166 people, with support from “elements” in the Pakistani military.
Pakistan has admitted that the attacks were planned partly on its soil, but flatly denies any official involvement.
For God's sake, being a Pakistani, would this ridiculous inept so called gov't please hand over the suspects including Hafiz Saeed over to India already and get this done and over with?? Don't these idiotic "leaders" realize that people like him and the rest of LeT are poison to Pakistan's society AND image plus they are clearly involved at some level in the Mumbai attacks. Just listen to the recorded cell phone conversations happening between the attackers and their handlers during the attack (played on an HBO special show!) Thats enough evidence. Yes our judicial team should have been allowed to cross examine, I will say that to make everyone's lives easier.
I agree with you to a point but if the Indians are that sure about the facts then they should not have any problem sharing it with the Pakistanis.The problems is that Indians claim to have all the evidence yet they refuse to share it,I agree with the Pakistani side,how can they hang someone based on ones word,seeing is believing.Indians blame Pakistan for playing games,India needs to change the double standard first.
Absolutely agree.
No doubt with Rehman Malik on our side, we are doomed from the start when it comes to public relations. Regardless, India needs to provide the proof. Hafiz Saeed has said hes innocent & hes willing to be a part of a fair trial, its up to India to provide the evidence against him. I wouldnt be surprised if India have their own versions of Rehman Malik in the govt.
Finally a prayer: May Allah stop being such a Rehman to this particular malik.
India has already done the damage. Now its time to ask for compensation
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