Mumbai attacks trial: Pakistan blames India for delay

Islamabad, Jun 9: Pakistan today (June 9) said that it has put the trial of seven Mumbai attacks suspects on the fast track and any delay in proceedings is due to India's failure to decide on a request to allow a judicial commission to interview key officials there.

In a response to Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram's remarks on Wednesday that confidence between the two countries cannot be restored till Pakistan takes action against the "real culprits" behind the Mumbai incident, Interior Minister Rehman Malik indicated that New Delhi should provide more evidence to enable Islamabad to act against other suspects.

"As far apprehending those responsible for the attacks is concerned, seven accused are in jail. Their trial is being conducted properly and we have put it on fast track," Malik told reporters at the Karachi airport early this morning.

"The delay in that trial is not on our part because we had a demand for a judicial commission (to visit India). Our Interior Secretary met their Home Secretary and we spoke of our request for the judicial commission (and we hope) India will respond to that and allow it," he said.

Indian and American officials have said that Pakistani authorities arrested seven persons, including Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, largely on the basis of information provided by India and the US.

However, their trial by an anti-terrorism court has been marred by a series of delays for technical reasons, diplomatic sources said.

PTI