For The 1st Time, Pak Admits Role Of Lashkar Ultra
New Delhi: Pakistan has finally acknowledged that there is enough evidence to prosecute Lashkar commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi for his involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks, in what marks the first endorsement of India’s case against the alleged 26/11 masterminds holed up across the border.
Pakistani officials admitted during last week’s home secretary talks that investigation conducted by their Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had established Lakhvi’s direct involvement in 26/11. According to sources in the home ministry here, Pakistani officials told home secretary R K Singh that the evidence against Lakhvi – largely related to his role in organising money and logistics, including the boat and inflatable dingy for the gang that ravaged Mumbai – was strong enough to secure his conviction in court.
“Pakistan told India about the development at FIA’s end during the talks in Islamabad last week,” said an official privy to the details
. Officials here termed it as a “significant admission”, stressing that Pakistani authorities will be required to produce the evidence in the court trying Lakhvi and six others, including Lashkar commanders Zarar Shah and Abu Al Qama, who are all in jail.
The development marks a validation of the evidence that India submitted against Lakhvi, Shah, Qama and others to Pakistan and which investigators have maintained was so foolproof that it could have easily been corroborated even by the neighbourhood cop long ago.
As it coincides with the pressure from the US for action against Hafiz Saeed, wary Indian officials wonder whether the new stance on Lakhvi’s culpability is meant to isolate the Lashkar chief from his junior jihadis and to strengthen Pakistan’s case that lack of evidence was the only reason why it was not acting against the Muridke-based militants.
Significantly, Pakistani officials bluntly told their Indian counterparts that the demand for action against Saeed was based on what Pakistan’s interior minister Rehman Malik called “hearsay”. They did not relent when the Indian side pointed out that in his confessional statement, Ajmal Kasab had spoken about Saeed’s role in motivating the 26/ 11 attackers. Though Pakistan, on India’s insistence, agreed to put before the Pakistani court new details on Saeed’s involvement, it maintained that the FIA could not find anything against him.
It raises the question of how Islamabad is going to treat the evidence against other 26/11 masterminds, particularly two serving officers of Pakistan army. David Headley, the Pakistan-born jihadi who reconnoitered Mumbai as part of the 26/11 plot, had spoken about the involvement of the two officers, besides Saeed.
On other issues, Islamabad gave an assurance to consider positively the request for release of Sarabjit Singh, a condemned Indian prisoner currently lodged in Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore. The assurance was given when home secretary R K Singh called on Pakistani interior minister Rehman Malik in Islamabad last week.
TIGHTENING THE NOOSE
Pakistan assured India to “consider positively” the request for release of Sarabjit Singh, a condemned Indian prisoner lodged in Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore
Pakistani investigating agency FIA has collected “concrete evidence” to nail LeT commander and key 26/11 accused Zakir-ur-Rehman Lakhvi
Pakistan “took note” of India’s request for extradition treaty; says it will examine it, but not made any promise
Pakistan accepted Indian draft on Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty; Islamabad will revert with comments on MLAT in two months
India shared additional information on LeT founder Hafiz Saeed; mainly NIA’s charge-sheet against him showing his roles in conspiracy behind terror attacks at many places in India
Pakistan assures India to move court for acting on eight Indian letter rogatories (LRs) including those pending against Hafiz Saeed
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