India responsible for delay in Mumbai trial, says Pakistan

Tehran: Pakistan on Wednesday blamed India for the inordinate delay in bringing to book the perpetrators of Mumbai terror attack who are in that country.

Pakistan Foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, who is in Tehran to attend the 16th NAM Summit, said that there were certain "requirements" to move forward in the trial as was articulated by its High Commissioner in India Salman Bashir, who had stressed on the need for cross-examination of Indian witnesses by Pakistan judicial commission.

"... we cannot not have a response to that and (not) allow for instance people from Pakistan any access and still expect to move forward...

Pakistan Foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar said Pakistan has certain requirements to move forward in the trial.

"If both sides are committed to move forward, I think, we should show our commitment and I can assure you, that the Pakistani side is committed to moving forward beyond this, and on any other issue that arises between the two countries," Khar said.

Her remarks came after her Indian counterpart SM Krishna lost no time in drawing Islamabad's attention to the Supreme Court verdict upholding death sentence to LeT terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab for carrying out the Mumbai attack which claimed 166 lives.

"I am sure Pakistan will not fail to take note of it," Krishna said and quickly added that the Pakistani judiciary is also proactive.

Against the backdrop of Pakistan equating the Mumbai attack with Samjhauta train blasts to project that it is also a victim of terrorism, India has made a clear distinction between the two incidents, saying they were "very different" and at some stage Islamabad needs to "come clean" on this.

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