Click to play videoNew Delhi: Pakistan is not willing to accept Kasab’s letter as an evidence of his nationality. Pakisani political commentator Ayaz Amir told CNN-IBN the so-called confession is not proof enough – it’s not even admissible in a court of law.
CNN-IBN: The Indian government has handed over Ajmal Kasab's confessional letter. What more proof would the Pakistan government want?
Amir: As long as you provide what you call evidence. A statement given to the police and then handed over to anyone according to the IPC would not be considered as admissible evidence. I think we must get serious about this and this heightened belligerence and this raking up of tension and accusations. If this halt is to be drifted, we have to be serious. This has to be something other than Kasab's statement.
CNN-IBN: So are you saying that the letter written by Kasab claiming he is a Pakistani national is not enough. Pakistan would want more.
Amir: No. I mean why don't you put Pakistan to the test? And if Pakistan is wrong why don't you put Pakistan on the spot? You should do that but it has to be undertaken. This whole exercise has to be undertaken with slightly more gravity than is being shown now. Kasab's statement being given to Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner in the eyes of Indian and Pakistani law amounts to nothing. A statement given to the Commissioner of Police in Delhi in any Indian court means nothing.
CNN-IBN: So far we haven’t seen Pakistan take any concrete move forward. Apart from the detention of Jamaat-ud-Dawa leaders and its ban, Pakistan is simply not acting.
Amir: No I don't think India really appreciates what Pakistan is doing on the terrorism front and the problems that it faces. One-hundred-and-twenty Pakistani troops are stretched along the Afghan frontier. The Pakistani armies have suffered more casualties in this war or whatever you may call it than the Americans have or NATO forces have in Afghanistan. Pakistan is saying this is our war. It’s not denying it. But the way India has reacted after the Mumbai attacks, it almost seems to Pakistani ears that the objective is not to unearth or go down to the roots of who were behind those attacks but the idea is somehow to put pressure on Pakistan, to punish Pak, to push Pak into a corner. Does that serve anyone's purpose? This drift to war we are witnessing, the statements by your Foreign Minister.
CNN-IBN: Is Pakistan taking that as a threat or is being seen as semantics?
Amir: When you go into the past there is no one greater at semantics than Indians and Pakistanis. You go into the past, you go back to 1971 and that’s a fruitless exercise. I think Pakistan in 2008 - everyone from the President to the PM to other authorities concerned - have said give us credible evidence in a manner which elicits trust, which elicits co-operation. Don’t give the impression that you are pushing Pakistan into a corner which only puts Pakistani backs up. We don’t have to do this. We face a common problem. You face one Mumbai. Pakistan is facing Mumbais every day.
CNN-IBN: But the question that people in India want an answer to is will Pakistan deal with this menace seriously?
Amir: I ask u whose interest does it serve to have tension on our Eastern frontier when we have our hands full not only on Afghan and Western frontiers but in places like Swat which people in India haven’t even heard of. Our army is deployed over there they are fighting militant elements there and this operation has been going on for a year. India should appreciate this and Indian media should have better handled the situation Pak is facing. Why shouldn’t Pak act seriously? Do we want to make enemies of entire world of us, of India, of international community?
CNN-IBN: Will Pakistan allow Indian officials to come and questions the people who are suspects in this and other terror attacks?
Amir: I think u are stepping too many jumps ahead. Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, American interrogators, RAW interrogation centres, RAW interrogators - you don’t get ISI to interrogate people that Pak suspects. No. So please don’t say this that your team comes and starts going over these people. No. We have to do this seriously. Give evidence, something more. This statement given to the Deputy High Commissioner really amounts to nothing. Call up any lawyer in Delhi and he will tell you the same as I am saying. It has to be something more but joint interrogation. Who do you think will RAW coming here? It doesn't have to be the ISI not accepting it, not one Pakistani will accept this. As will no Indian accept it if anyone says that American interrogators will come and interrogate suspects in India.
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