The government on Monday asked India to fix the date for the proposed visit of Pakistani judicial commission to India to interview the key persons linked to the investigations into the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan Sharat Sabarwal called on Interior Minister Rehman Malik at the Ministry of Interior.
According to ministry sources, both sides discussed various issues including the Mumbai terror attacks. Malik apprised the Indian high commissioner about the progress made in the investigation so far. He asked Sabarwal to fix a date for Pakistani judicial commission’s proposed visit as early as possible, the sources said.
The Pakistani commission will record the statements of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate RV Sawant Waghule and Investigating Officer Ramesh Mahale, who have recorded the confessional statement of Ajmal Kasab, the lone survivor allegedly involved in the Mumbai attacks. It also wanted to record statements of the two doctors who carried out the post mortem of the terrorists killed during the attack.
Pakistan has already issued a notification on the formation of the judicial commission and has listed the names of the members who will represent Pakistan. The delegation will include Khalid Qureshi, the head of the FIA’s Special Investigation Group and Muhammad Azhar Chaudhry and Chaudhry Zulfiqar, the two main prosecutors. The defence lawyers too would be part of the commission. The lawyers of seven Pakistanis allegedly involved in the attacks had informed the anti-terrorism court Rawalpindi that they were ready to go to India as member of the commission. The lawyers included Lakhvi’s counsel, Khwaja Sultan, Riaz Cheema, Asam bin Haris and Fakhar-e-Hayat.
The notification was issued on the orders of the anti-terrorism court that is conducting the trial of seven Pakistani suspects, including Lashkar-e-Tayyaba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, who have been charged with planning and financing the attacks. India had already agreed to the Pakistani proposal to host the judicial commission which is necessary as part of the judicial process in the country.
Pakistan maintains that the charges against the seven LT operatives are based on Kasab’s statement who is under detention in Mumbai and hence the magistrate and the investigation officer’s statements are necessary to submit before the ATC Rawalpindi. The sources said the judicial commission was likely to visit India in mid January next year. However, confirmation from the Indian side was yet to be received. During the meeting, Malik conveyed to his Indian counterpart the good wishes on the eve of New Year.
Meanwhile, Awami National Party President Asfandyar Wali Khan also met Sabharwal and discussed the overall political situation in the country. “Asfandyar Wali and the Indian high commissioner discussed matters relating to Pak-India relations, the political situation in the country, peace in the region, particularly in the background of Afghanistan,” ANP Senator Zahid Khan told Pakistan Today. A source in the ANP said the party president also talked to the Indian high commissioner about the matter pertaining to the release of 18 Pakistanis who were currently languishing in an Indian jail.
