Will cross-examine and re-examine four prosecution witnesses in the Mumbai attacks case. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
NEW DEHLI: A seven-member Pakistani judicial commission arrived in India via Attari on Saturday to take forward the prosecution of seven suspects, including Laskar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and cross-examine and re-examine four prosecution witnesses in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case.
As many as 166 persons,including foreign nationals,were killed in the 2008 terror attack. The commission will reach Mumbai for the first leg of its investigation on Monday.
The Pakistani delegation is headed by special public prosecutor Azhar Chaudhry. He said in Chandigarh that the commission had come to collect evidence against the coaccused of Ajmal Kasab, the sole Pakistani terrorist caught alive during the attacks and executed last November.
The other seven Pakistani accused include Le-T commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, who was charged with planning, financing and executing the brutal attack.
The evidence will be recorded on September 24-25. The panel’s second visit to India has been delayed thrice this month. The commission was scheduled to arrive on September 11, but its visit was postponed due to the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival during which courts remain closed in Mumbai.
India initially asked the commission to visit in early September, but it could not due to cancellation of a Pakistan International Airlines flight. The next date fixed was September 7, but the visit was again cancelled due to the non-availability of a flight.
The panel’s first report after a visit in March 2012 was rejected by an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan on the grounds that its members were not allowed to crossexamine the witnesses.
The commission has been given 7-day visas by the Indian High Commission valid for Delhi, Mumbai, Amritsar and Agra.
Additional CP (crime) in Mumbai Niket Kaushik confirmed the commission’s arrival on Monday.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 23rd, 2013.
COMMENTS (9)
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Yesterday i hv sn a documentry in National geography where it is clearly mention that pakistani are invovle in mumbai attack .they were control and instruct over phone from pakistan which is confirm by FBI..ajmal kasab also state that he is pakistani.pakistan is a country of lier.
Well, the Pak judicial members are welcome in India and they should enjoy their stay here, visit historical places and make purchases of their choice. However, nothing much expected here from them as they would carry out the investigations as per script handed over to them. All the major accused in this case are roaming free in Pakistan and making anti-India speeches and commission would now give them a clean chit concluding that no actionable evidence was found against them. Courts would then withdraw all cases against the accused and set them free to continue their sacred activities against India.
These guys are a joke. The deep state will take everyone for a ride. India should boycott it.
@Muhammed: its not drama, pakistanis may think its drama but one proof Ajmal & pakistani involvement.whatever blast in pakistan may inside job of pakistan but not applicable for others.
@Saad: @Muhammed: So people are saying that IK is a Jew and a taliban. Can I take that this is true?
@Water Bottle You are 100% right, as per your definition of entire world.
What’s the new drama?
The entire world knows that Mumbai attacks were inside job. Even Indian Under Secretary has acknowledge it.
Does it mean, Pakistani authorities still consider it to be a handiwork of Pakistanis?
Can you kindly explain us which country ?????
@Water Bottle: They are just their to investigate. No conclusions have been made.
The Revelations of Indian officer are still plausible infact appears much more realistic than the story concocted by indian government i.e. terrorists coming into india by boat escaping its state of the art navy .