Pakistan has sought more information and evidence from India regarding the Mumbai terrorist attack to take the people involved in execution of these terror strikes to task, said Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik here on Saturday. Addressing a press conference at Interior Ministry, he said that the fifth dossier had been handed over, and further information was being sought from Indian officials regarding the terror strikes.
He said that although, on the information shared by the Indian authorities in connection with the Mumbai attacks, Pakistan government has arrested five accused, yet it would help more if Indian authorities provided statements of Indian forensic experts. Rehman expressed complete satisfaction on the investigation process and said that the FIA team, under the supervision of Tariq Khosa, Director General of FIA, had completed the investigation.
Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Mazhar Iqbal, Umer Abdul Wajid, Zarrar Shah, and Shahid Jamil Riaz had been arrested and statements of 10 witnesses had been recorded. He said that the charge-sheet against the accused detained on Mumbai attacks would be presented in the court on next hearing. The court would be provided information regarding the hideouts of the terrorists, while bank accounts used in the Mumbai attacks had also been unearthed, he added.
He said that Pakistan had carried out extensive investigations so far. Statements of 101 prosecution witnesses had been recorded including 6 under section 164 CrPC, while 126 items and documents had been seized as incriminating evidence. The minister said that four hideouts of terrorists had been located and the boat on which the terrorists had sailed from Pakistan had been taken in possession. Besides, 11 bank accounts used by the terrorists had been traced. He said that Fahim Ansar, who was arrested in July, had given a statement against (Hafiz) Saeed.
He said that the Anti Terrorism Court has declared 20 accused as Proclaimed Offenders including Shahid Ghafoor s/o Abdul Ghafoor, Abdul Rehman s/o Khadim Hussain, Muhammad Usman s/o Rashid Ahmed, Ateeq-ur-Rehman s/o Jameel-ur-Rehman, Riaz Ahmed s/o Ali Muhammad, Muhammad Mushtaq s/o Muhammad Din, Muhammad Naeem s/o Ghulam Yasin, Abdul Shakoor s/o Rehman Din, Muhammad Sabir Salfi s/o Abdul Ghafoor, Muhammad Usman s/o Bashir Ahmed, Shakeel Ahmed s/o Sharay Khan, Muhammad Amin Khan s/o Muhammad Siddique, Iftikhar Ali s/o Muhammad Anwar, Sufyan Zafar s/o Mustajab Hussain, Muhammad Usman Zia s/o Muhammad Bashir Zia, Muhammad Abbas Nasir s/o Islam ud Din, Javed Iqbal s/o Muhamamd Munir, Mukhtar Ahmed s/o Muhammad Yar, Ahmed Saeed s/o Muhammad Raffiullah Mufti and Muhammad Khan s/o Shahdad.
Furthermore, non-bailable warrants of arrest had been issued against 2 accused--Ajmal Kasab and Fahim Ansar. Both are under custody in India, he added. Rehman said that Pakistan wants long lasting cordial relations with India. "The prime ministers of India and Pakistan in their meetings have resolved to take all measures to bring the two countries closer", he added.
He said that Pakistan stands firm with the international community in war against terrorism. "We have shown international community our will of going very deep to eliminate terrorism from Pakistan", he added.
He said that Pakistan assures international community and India that it would not allow any one to use its territory, "for terrorism and terrorists mean against any country in the world". He said that at the time of Mumbai attack Pakistan had offered unconditional support to India, as "Pakistan is itself a victim of terrorism" and it is international responsibility to eliminate terrorism from roots.