September 5, 2010 9:35 AM

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Pak proposes a Commission to take forward Mumbai terror attacks probe

Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik met the Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal in Islamabad this morning and discussed the formation of a Commission to take things forward in 26/11 Mumbai attack probe. Admitting that the trial of LeT's Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and six others charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks is stuck, Mr Malik said, the formation of a commission to record the testimony of two key Indian witnesses is necessary to move forward. He contended that the trial of the Pakistani suspects has run into problems over the issue of Indian witnesses testifying via video-conferencing as this is not allowed under Pakistani laws. Mr Malik said, he had discussed the formation of the commission comprising relevant officials, which would visit India to record the statements of a magistrate and a police officer, during a recent telephonic conversation with his Indian counterpart P Chidambaram. He informed that Mr Chidambaram had told him that the Pakistani proposal would be examined when it is received. The Pakistani anti-terrorism court conducting the trial is yet to decide on India's proposal that the witnesses should testify via video-conferencing and the trial is stuck. Mr Malik said, Pakistani prosecutors will approach the Rawalpindi-based trial court on Monday with a petition on forming the commission. Though India proposed that the testimony of the two witnesses — the magistrate who recorded the confessional statement of lone surviving Mumbai attacker Ajmal Kasab and the police officer who investigated the incident — should be recorded via video conferencing, Mr Malik said this was not permitted by Pakistani laws.

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