New Delhi: After providing evidence on Mumbai attacks, India today said Pakistan should acknowledge that Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested, is its national to demonstrate it is willing to cooperate.
Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said acceptance of Kasab's Pakistani nationality would be the "first step" to indicate Islamabad's intention to cooperate.
"Let them first acknowledge that Kasab is a Pakistani. Other things can follow after that," he told reporters here when asked about Islamabad's offer for a joint probe into the Mumbai attacks.
India on Monday handed over to Pakistan evidence about involvement of Pakistan-based elements in the Mumbai terror attacks. The evidence included the confession of Kasab, who has admitted to his Pakistani nationality, and given details of the November 26 attacks.
Asked whether India had received any reply from Pakistan after handing over the evidence, Sharma said getting any response from Islamabad in a matter of 24-hours will be "surprising".
New Delhi has said the "unpardonable crime" in Mumbai was planned in Pakistan and Islamabad is under obligation, bilaterally as well as multilaterally, to hand over the perpetrators so that they could be brought to "Indian justice".
Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon had said "it is our expectation that the Government of Pakistan will promptly undertake further investigations in Pakistan and share the results with us so as to bring the perpetrators to justice."
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