Kasab a Pakistani? Pak says it, almost

THE MOST WANTED: Pakistan has virtually admitted that Mumbai attacker Kasab is their national.

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New Delhi: On Friday night, Pakistan virtually admitted that Ajmal Kasab - the only terrorist captured alive in the Mumbai attack - is a Pakistani national.

Pakistan's foreign ministry has released a statement that seems to suggest that Islamabad might want consular access to Kasab, even if it is informally and in the presence of Indian officials.

The statement reads thus,” Our own investigations cannot proceed beyond a certain point without provision of credible information and evidence pertaining to Mumbai attacks. Despite our requests, no evidence or information has been shared with the Government by India so far. Any criminal investigation proceeds from the scene of crime to the criminal. This is standard investigation procedure".

Pakistan's representative to the United Nations, Abdullah Haroon Hussain said that Pakistan must be given access to Kasab. When asked that asking for consular access would mean an admission that Kasab is Pakistani, Hussain said Islamabad wants access to make sure this is established.

“It is in the benefit of India to allow consular access to this person to the Pak authorities. The sooner that happens the better it would be for both countries. We should both walk towards each other and no one should be seen standing at one spot. If in your presence we access him that's a good gesture of working together, even if he is not a Pakistani national. If he’s not found a Pakistani, then he s not a Pakistani. But if he is, we’ll all find out, won’t we? But until then, we don’t know for a fact and can't identify the person as a Pakistani. We will say these are your (India’s) allegations,” Hussain told CNN-IBN.

“All terrorists don’t belong to country, they nbelong to a delusion, there are millions of Indian Americans, Pakistani Americans and the likes. There’s no hard and fast rule of a nationality. Our friends in India have said he is a Pakistani. So if we get consular access we’ll know. Else these would be just allegations. He is said what he had to and will not revert if we ask him,” he added.

Hussain also defended Pakistan and said the country cracked down on terror outfits immediately after the United Nations built up pressure.

“We are not denying anything – had we been in state of denial we wouldn’t have cracked down. It’s not a state of denial. Pak took action even before the reports by cracking down on terror groups. An e-note was delivered by the UN two days ago and Pak cracked down heavily upon receiving the e-note,” he said.