Pakistan seeks Kasab’s extradition from India
Sunday, April 25, 2010
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday said Pakistan’s court has issued arrest warrant for Ajmal Kasab and Islamabad will request New Delhi to hand him over to Pakistan.
“Kasab’s statement is of paramount importance in the Mumbai attack case which is an important document and our courts need it,” he said while talking to media persons after his meeting with the Indian high commissioner in Pakistan.
“We will also request India to allow RV Saw and Wagul Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrates, Shri Ramesh Mahal, Chief
Investigation Officer DCB, CID Mumbai to appear in the Pakistani court and testify that the statements of Ajmal Kasab were recorded by them, so that we could proceed further,” he added.
He said the trial in Pakistan is moving in right direction and the presence of three Indian officers would further make it stronger. “They must have to come Pakistan to make the case stronger, we have requested India and are hopeful that they would consider our request for justice.” Malik said the Interior Ministry would hand over the request to the Foreign Office in next few days so that it could be conveyed to India.
He said Ansari and Kasab have not been declared proclaimed offender so far, despite the fact that their arrest warrants have been issued.
However, he said the meetings between the two countries regarding the Mumbai attacks were positive and the cooperation was also increasing.
He said India has so far given 10 dossiers in the Mumbai case to Pakistan and Islamabad have timely replied to all of those, adding that the 11th dossier of Pakistan regarding handing over of Ajmal Kasab would shortly be handed over to New Delhi.
The minister said India positively provided maximum details in the Mumbai case as requested by the Pakistani authorities and it was presented in the court. He, however, said Hafiz Saeed was released on bail duly granted to him by the court because India provided only leads regarding him and not evidences.
“We have moved to the Supreme Court over the release of Hafiz Saeed and whatever the decision would be we will follow.”
He said Pakistan banned Jamat-ud-Dawa as its name had been placed in watch list by the UNO.
“We have frozen 16 bank accounts of Jamat-ud-Dawa, closed six websites, cancelled all arms licences issued to the outfit, detained 71 activists, placed names of 64 activists on the ECL, taken over 63 Madaris of the JuD under the government control and confiscated all its publications and papers,” he told.
The minister informed the media about the details of all the 10 dossiers and the response of Pakistan.
Regarding his meeting with the Indian high commissioner, Malik said: “We feel Pak-India cooperation have been improved and we are going towards peace, friendship and cooperation.”
He said the two countries understand that terrorism is a heinous crime and the anti-state elements are involved to bring the two countries face to face.
“Anti state elements brought Pakistan and India at the wage of war but the leadership of two countries averted the war by their wisdom.”
He said the leadership of the two countries has frustrated the nefarious designs of the anti-state elements. “We hope the relation between the two countries would improve in future.” he added.
Pakistan seeks Kasabs extradition from India
