Pakistan on Friday claimed that the trial of LeT operatives arrested for involvement in the Mumbai attacks would be completed within four months, even as it sought more time to examine the evidence provided by India against the terrorist group's founder Hafiz Mohammad Saeed.

Refuting the contention of Indian leaders like Home Minister P Chidambaram that there had been no progress in Pakistan in bringing to justice the perpetrators of 26/11 attacks, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said: "I challenge you and say the trial (of the suspects) has started."

"After (the festival of) Eid, day-to-day hearings will be held and proceedings will be completed within the prescribed time limit," he said, adding it will take between two-and-half months to four months for the trial to be completed.

Five LeT operatives arrested earlier had already been chargesheeted while charges against two newly-arrested suspects will be filed soon, he told reporters.

Malik said Pakistan has already acknowledged that "part of the conspiracy" behind the Mumbai attacks was hatched by "non-state actors in Pakistan."

"Don't suspect our motives," he said, adding that LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, described by India as the mastermind of the attacks, had been arrested along with several aides.

Malik said Pakistan needed more time to examine the latest Indian dossier on the Mumbai attacks which contained LeT operative Ajmal Kasab's statements about his meetings with Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, who is also the chief of outlawed JuD, and other alleged militant leaders.

"Give us an opportunity to examine what is a mere statement. Give us an opportunity to go and see the locations (Kasab) has spoken of (where he met Saeed). Let us do our verification, for which we need time," Malik said.

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