Efforts on to take 26/11 trial in Pak forward: Rao

Rao is scheduled to meet Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir on the margins of the February 6-7 SAARC meeting in Thimphu.

She said the 26/11 trial in Pakistan was one of the issues under discussion,and both countries were in correspondence about the exchange of evidence that is required for the trial to go forward. “This is an ongoing effort… We hope that both the governments come to satisfactory conclusion about what is required so the trial could be satisfactorily concluded because justice has to be done,” she said.

While Rao refused to divulge details of her meeting with Chidambaram,it is learnt that India’s demand for voice samples of masterminds of the Mumbai attacks and recent developments in the investigations of Samjhauta Express blast figured in the discussions.

To a question about the ongoing protests in Egypt,Rao said India was ready to carry out evacuation of its nationals if the situation warranted. “Security of our nationals,media,students and citizens living there and working there,is paramount,” she said.

She said the Indian mission was in touch with the Indian community,including 1,037 students at Al-Azhar university and they were fine.