ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has made it clear that without substantial evidence from India it will be exceedingly difficult to complete the investigations into the Mumbai attacks and proceed with the case. At the same time, the authorities have been directed to register a case in the light of the FIA�s investigations into the Indian dossier so that those involved in the Mumbai attacks could be tried in a Pakistani court according to the law of the land.
�In order to complete the investigations, the questions which are arising from the inquiry carried out by the FIA need to be answered by the Indian authorities. These questions will be communicated to the Indians shortly,� said an official statement released after the meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC), presided over by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at the Prime Minister House here on Monday.
The meeting was convened to discuss how to proceed in the light of the FIA report that was presented in response to the Indian dossier on the Mumbai attacks.
The top civilian and military leadership attended the meeting, which also discussed, among other things, the security situation in the country, particularly in Swat and the tribal areas.
The committee was briefed on the progress in the inquiry based on the information provided by the Indian authorities concerning the Mumbai attacks.
The meeting decided that on the basis of FIA�s inquiry, a case should be registered and further investigation be carried out so that the perpetrators, wherever they may be, of the heinous crime were brought to justice in accordance with the law of the land.
The meeting said that the inquiry had been conducted professionally and endorsed the recommendations of the Interior Ministry to proceed with the registration of a case.
The case would be registered within the next two days and would be made public. However, the meeting observed Pakistan needed further evidence from India to firm up the case as the FIA was so far working on �thin evidence� provided by India.
Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said that Pakistan wanted to bring the culprits of the Mumbai terrorist attacks to justice and would fully cooperate with India for the purpose. He said Pakistan had offered India a joint probe into the attacks and that the offer was still there.
He said that a case would be registered as per the law of the land once the inquiry was completed and in case any Pakistani was found involved in the attacks.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Defence Ch Ahmad Mukhtar, Minister for Defence Production Abdul Qayyum Khan Jatoi, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman, Minister for Law Farooq H Naek, Adviser to the PM on Finance Shaukat A Tarin, Adviser to the PM on Interior Rehman Malik, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Tariq Majid, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mehmood Ahmad, the DG ISI, the secretary Cabinet Division, the secretary Foreign Affairs, the secretary Defence, the secretary Interior and the DG IB.
Later on Monday evening, Gilani briefed President Asif Ali Zardari about the decisions taken in the meeting. Both the leaders also discussed the current political and regional situation.
Sources close to the prime minister told our sources that the basic purpose of the meeting was to inquire about the health of the president�s father, Hakim Ali Zardari, who is under treatment at a hospital in Karachi.
However, it was the first meeting between the two in the week following Gilani�s return from Davos. The PM also briefed the president about his interactions with the world leaders in Davos.
The sources said the prime minister gave a detailed briefing to the president about the decisions of the DCC in light of the investigation report submitted by the FIA.
They said both agreed that actions against those who were involved in the Mumbai attacks would be taken after the response of India to the questionnaire, which is being sent shortly.
The sources said both the leaders repeated that Pakistan was already taking into confidence the international community on the investigations and would take action against the perpetrators, wherever they may be, under the law of the land.
The visit of US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke also came under discussion, the sources said, adding both the leaders also devised the agenda for talks with the US diplomat on Tuesday. They also discussed the government strategy to deal with the lawyers� long march.
Besides, the situation in Swat and the issue of extremism also came under discussion and it was decided to take action to restore the writ of the government and to protect the lives and properties of the people in Swat. The sources said the upcoming Senate elections were also discussed, especially the selection of potential candidates from the party and to make seat adjustments with different political parties, including the PML-Q, in Balochistan and the Punjab.
�In order to complete the investigations, the questions which are arising from the inquiry carried out by the FIA need to be answered by the Indian authorities. These questions will be communicated to the Indians shortly,� said an official statement released after the meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC), presided over by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at the Prime Minister House here on Monday.
The meeting was convened to discuss how to proceed in the light of the FIA report that was presented in response to the Indian dossier on the Mumbai attacks.
The top civilian and military leadership attended the meeting, which also discussed, among other things, the security situation in the country, particularly in Swat and the tribal areas.
The committee was briefed on the progress in the inquiry based on the information provided by the Indian authorities concerning the Mumbai attacks.
The meeting decided that on the basis of FIA�s inquiry, a case should be registered and further investigation be carried out so that the perpetrators, wherever they may be, of the heinous crime were brought to justice in accordance with the law of the land.
The meeting said that the inquiry had been conducted professionally and endorsed the recommendations of the Interior Ministry to proceed with the registration of a case.
The case would be registered within the next two days and would be made public. However, the meeting observed Pakistan needed further evidence from India to firm up the case as the FIA was so far working on �thin evidence� provided by India.
Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said that Pakistan wanted to bring the culprits of the Mumbai terrorist attacks to justice and would fully cooperate with India for the purpose. He said Pakistan had offered India a joint probe into the attacks and that the offer was still there.
He said that a case would be registered as per the law of the land once the inquiry was completed and in case any Pakistani was found involved in the attacks.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Defence Ch Ahmad Mukhtar, Minister for Defence Production Abdul Qayyum Khan Jatoi, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman, Minister for Law Farooq H Naek, Adviser to the PM on Finance Shaukat A Tarin, Adviser to the PM on Interior Rehman Malik, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Tariq Majid, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mehmood Ahmad, the DG ISI, the secretary Cabinet Division, the secretary Foreign Affairs, the secretary Defence, the secretary Interior and the DG IB.
Later on Monday evening, Gilani briefed President Asif Ali Zardari about the decisions taken in the meeting. Both the leaders also discussed the current political and regional situation.
Sources close to the prime minister told our sources that the basic purpose of the meeting was to inquire about the health of the president�s father, Hakim Ali Zardari, who is under treatment at a hospital in Karachi.
However, it was the first meeting between the two in the week following Gilani�s return from Davos. The PM also briefed the president about his interactions with the world leaders in Davos.
The sources said the prime minister gave a detailed briefing to the president about the decisions of the DCC in light of the investigation report submitted by the FIA.
They said both agreed that actions against those who were involved in the Mumbai attacks would be taken after the response of India to the questionnaire, which is being sent shortly.
The sources said both the leaders repeated that Pakistan was already taking into confidence the international community on the investigations and would take action against the perpetrators, wherever they may be, under the law of the land.
The visit of US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke also came under discussion, the sources said, adding both the leaders also devised the agenda for talks with the US diplomat on Tuesday. They also discussed the government strategy to deal with the lawyers� long march.
Besides, the situation in Swat and the issue of extremism also came under discussion and it was decided to take action to restore the writ of the government and to protect the lives and properties of the people in Swat. The sources said the upcoming Senate elections were also discussed, especially the selection of potential candidates from the party and to make seat adjustments with different political parties, including the PML-Q, in Balochistan and the Punjab.
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