NEW DEHLI: India is signalling its willingness to give access to a judicial commission from Pakistan to visit India and examine witnesses associated with the interrogation of Ajmal Kasab, the 26/11 terror attack convict, now in Arthur Road jail in Mumbai.
“They (Pakistan) want to examine two witnesses... a commission is a well-known mechanism to examine witnesses,” media reports quoted a government source as saying, indicating India’s willingness to consider the proposal favourably.
The Indian government has now asked the interior ministry to send a formal proposal.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik recently told reporters in Islamabad that he had proposed sending a judicial commission to India to quiz an Indian police official and a magistrate who had interrogated and recorded Kasab’s statement. To this, India had suggested that the witnesses can be interrogated through video conferencing.
“But, they said, the laws there (in Pakistan) do not allow for examining witnesses through video conferencing,” the source said. “Then, they (Pakistan) asked if they can send a commission,” the source added. Islamabad believes that allowing the commission to visit India to examine witnesses will significantly add to the progress in its 26/11 probe.
The court has already named Kasab a proclaimed offender but asked the interior ministry to ensure the availability of the two Indian officials connected with the terrorist’s interrogation. The court is likely to hear the case again on September 18. Online
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2010.
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