Pak blames India for not providing details about Samjhauta Express bomb blast

Islamabad, Jan. 23 (ANI) : Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has blamed India for not pursuing the Samjhauta Express case seriously, saying New Delhi has denied providing details about Lieutenant Colonel Shrikant Purohit, who was allegedly involved in the bombing in which 68 people were killed, despite repeated appeals.

Talking with media persons here, Malik claimed that Lt.Col. Purohit had hired some Pakistani extremists to carry out the train bombing in 2007.

"Colonel Purohit was interrogated by one of the director investigations, Hemant Karkare, who was also killed later. This clearly demonstrates that there were some Pakistan-based Islamists who had been hired to carry out the Samjhauta Express attack. That is the dossier we have requested India to provide us with, but they haven't," Malik said.

He said that India should come forward for talks over the issue.

"Even today I sent a message inviting them to come and sit with us and talk; we will bring our evidence and they can bring theirs," The Dawn quoted Malik, as saying. (ANI)