Pakistan has asked one of its top officials to follow up with India the matter of sending 24 witnesses of the 26/11 Mumbai attack to Pakistan to record their statements so that the trial in the case could be completed at the earliest. This comes after the case has been languishing in courts in Pakistan since the attack and conclusive evidences being already handed out by India for due probe by Pakistan, which has for long aided and abetted attacks on India from its soil.
"The Foreign Ministry has written to its director general South Asia to take up the matter of sending 24 Indian witnesses to Pakistan for recording of their statements in the trial court in the Mumbai attack case herewith the Indian Government," 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 and now it has asked the DG South Asia to follow-up the matter.
"We have already made it clear that the Mumbai case cannot move forward unless India sends its witnesses here to record their important statements," 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," Azhar, who is also a special prosecutor of the Federal Investigation Agency, said.
Notably, Pakistan’s non-cooperation in the case has already earned it international flak, with even the US nudging Pakistan to extend cooperation with Indian authorities. Moreover, key accused in the attack continue to have a free run in Pakistan which refuses to act against them.
The US has also asked the Pakistani authorities that they need to address all groups operating on their soil and their territory including the Taliban groups.
Recently the Foreign Office of Pakistan said it had asked India to provide "additional evidence" for the early completion of the Mumbai attack 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 abatement 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.
(With PTI inputs)
