Pak denies Kasab letter, Pranab calls for action

Even as India asked Pakistan to act on its commitment of not allowing its territory to be used to launch attacks across the border...

Even as India asked Pakistan to act on its commitment of not allowing its territory to be used to launch attacks across the border, Islamabad on Wednesday said it needed “incontrovertible evidence” on the nationality of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested in the Mumbai attacks, and denied having received any letter from him seeking legal aid.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters on the sidelines of a PHD Chamber meeting, “we expect Pakistan to act as per their own commitment given by two Presidents. Pakistan is obliged to implement the UN Security Council resolution declaring Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), a front of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, a terror outfit.”

“I have already explained to them in my note to the Foreign Minister (Shah Mahmoud Qureshi) on November 28 and in the subsequent demarche what we expect them to do so. I told them that mere intention or expression of intent is not adequate, if that is not followed by action,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik, when asked about Kasab’s father accepting that Kasab was his son, said, “Not when it comes to dealing with such individuals…we need something which is incontrovertible which cannot be challenged in a court of law.” Malik was speaking on the India Tonight programme of CNBC TV-18. On whether he had received any letter from Kasab, he said, “Please don’t give too much importance to newspaper reports. No letter has been delivered to me or to the (Pakistan) High Commission.”

Malik said Pakistan was not contemplating giving access to Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi, the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai attacks, to the FBI for investigation. “Please allow us to carry forward the process of investigation and see whether there is any merit in involving others or not,” he said.

Asked why Hafiz Sayeed, chief of JuD, was not arrested despite a ban on his organisation, Malik said Pakistan needed “credible, actionable” evidence which could stand legal scrutiny.