Pakistan respects SC judgement on Ajmal Kasab: Rehman Malik

Islamabad: Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that he respects the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the death sentence of 26/11 Mumbai attacks convict Ajmal Kasab. Reacting to the court verdict, Rehman Malik said, "This is the decision by a court and therefore, I am nobody to say why they have done it. The court must have had some reason to do it. Hence, I think, whether it is a Pakistani court or Indian, we should respect its judgment."

This comes ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's meeting with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in Tehran on the sidelines of the NAM Summit. The Kasab judgement in the 26/11 case is likely to have an impact on the meeting.

India will push for a speedy trial of the 26/11 masterminds in Pakistan.

The Pakistan Interior Minister said, \"This is the decision by a court and therefore, I am nobody to say why they have done it.\"

The Supreme Court upheld Kasab's death sentence on Wednesday, saying he waged a war against India. Kasab can now file a review application before the Supreme Court on technical grounds of a specific legal lacunae or omission. If rejected, he can seek mercy from the Maharashtra Governor. If that, too, is rejected, he can file a mercy plea with the President of India.

Also See

• Will Ajmal Kasab's death sentence go the Afzal Guru way?
• Ajmal Kasab judgement likely to figure in Manmohan-Zardari meet in Iran

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