Pakistan judicial commission probing Mumbai attacks travels to India tomorrow

Though commission will not be allowed access to Kasab, they will interview doctors who conducted autopsy on victims.

ISLAMABAD: Despite India’s refusal to allow Pakistani lawyers to question Ajmal Kasab, an eight-member commission comprising defence lawyers, prosecutors and a court official will travel to India on March 15 to gather evidences for the prosecution of seven suspects linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

“With this visit, of course, there will be some progress in investigation to proceed the cases further. But legal complications will likely surface with fresh evidences,” observed Khawaja Haris Ahmed, the counsel for Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.  “The case with new evidences in 26/11 trial may take a new turn now,” he said.

This first of its kind visit comes at a time when Pakistan has indicted seven alleged conspirators captured in 2009. Investigators have also said that they need to gather more evidence in India before the case proceeds further in a Pakistani court.

India accepted Pakistan’s request only when Islamabad withdrew its demand of interviewing Kasab, said a senior Interior Ministry official. New Delhi says Pakistan’s attempts at prosecution have been a “facade” and insists it has already handed over enough evidence to convict the accused, according to AFP.

“It will be an opportunity for us to deflate the uncertainty surrounding the fate of the 26/11 trial in both India and Pakistan,” senior prosecutor Azhar Chaudhry told The Express Tribune.  He, however, did not share any further details about the visit due to security concerns. He was not the only member of the commission to be reserved, as another key member too remained tight lipped when asked about plans to request a meeting with Kasab in Mumbai. “We have no such formal plan. But we will submit a request to Mumbai Magistrate if there is any possibility,” a member of the commission said. If allowed to meet Kasab, he said, it may lead to more critical evidences.

The panel is expected to fly from Allama Iqbal International Airport for New Delhi International Airport on Wednesday afternoon,” he told The Express Tribune.

The commission is visiting India in pursuance of an order of the anti terrorism court, Rawalpindi to record the statements of four key witnesses in the same manner as Indian officials had recorded the statements of witnesses in Pakistan, he added. Four defence lawyers including Khawaja Muhammad Haris, Riaz Cheema, Farrukh Hayat, Riaz Cheema and Raja Ahsan will be defending their clients. Two Federal Investigation Agency’s prosecutors Chaudhry Azhar and Chaudhry Zulfiqar, a member of joint investigation Azad Khan and an official of anti-terrorism court will maintain the records that will be a part of the Commission.

Last week, prosecutors presented details of tentative schedule to anti-terrorism court judge Shahid Rafique on Friday. The court had appointed Fazal Majid, a deputy director in the Interior Ministry, as the coordinator of the commission.

The panel members will stay in New Delhi for 24 hours where Indian authorities will treat them as state guests in cooperation with the Pakistan High Commission. The visiting panel, accompanied by security officials, will travel to Mumbai on March 16. The commission will record the statements of the magistrate who recorded the confession of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving attacker on Saturday.

Two doctors, who conducted the autopsies of the terrorists and victims and the police officer who led the investigation in Mumbai will also record their statements on Sunday and Monday. Chief Metropolitan Police, Mumbai will assist the visiting commission. On Wednesday, the commission will fly to Pakistan via New Delhi after completing its mission, added the officials.