President Asif Ali Zardari has rejected India's demand to hand over LeT chief Hafiz Mohd Sayeed and other fugitives in the wake of Mumbai terror attacks and doubted whether the arrested terrorist is a Pakistani national.

Two days after New Delhi's demarche (protest note) demanding the handing over of 20 fugitives, Zardari made known Pakistan's reluctance to part with them.

"If we had proof, we would try them in our courts. We would try them in our land and we would sentence them," he said appearing on "Larry King Live" programme on CNN last night.

India's list of 20 most wanted criminals given to Pakistan included underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar.

India is awaiting Pakistan's response before deciding on the options it could exercise. New Delhi's outrage was voiced by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee who said the country has every right to protect its territorial integrity and will take "appropriate action" as it feels necessary to deal with the terror strikes emanating from Pakistan.

The minister also did not rule out military strikes against terror camps in Pakistan.

Zardari said that he also doubted India's claim that the sole surviving gunman, who was captured by Indian security forces, was a Pakistani national.

"We have not been given any tangible proof to say that he is definitely a Pakistani. I very much doubt that he's a Pakistani," he said.

Zardari denied Pakistan's involvement in the attacks, saying the terror strikes were executed by the "Stateless actors" who wanted to hold the "entire world hostage."

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