Pak finally allows Indian team to probe 26/11

A day before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani are scheduled to watch the cricket World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan in Mohali, near Chandigarh, Pakistani authorities have finally agreed to allow an Indian inquiry commission to visit that country and find out more about the Mumbai terror strike of 2008.

During the course of the two-day home secretary-level talks in Delhi that ended today, the Pakistani authorities provided detailed updates on the ongoing trial and investigation in Pakistan — being done by the Federal Investigation Agency — on the Mumbai attacks.

“Pakistan has conveyed its in-principle readiness to entertain a commission from India on Mumbai terror attack investigations. The modalities and composition in this connection will be worked out through diplomatic channels,” said a joint statement issued after the meeting.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had earlier sent a request to the Pakistani government, seeking permission to send a commission to investigate the conspirators in the 26/11 terror strike. The Pakistani officials had not responded to India’s demand for questioning seven people suspected to be involved.

Pakistan, too, will send a judicial commission to India in connection with the court trial of the Mumbai attack and Indian authorities would provide dates for the visit within four-six weeks.

The interior secretary of Pakistan, Qamar Zaman Chaudhary, has invited G K Pillai, the Indian home secretary, for the next round of talks in Pakistan. Pillai has readily accepted the invitation.

In response to Pakistan allowing an inquiry commission, the Indian authorities also provided information about the probe into the Samjhauta Express blast case. The Indian authorities have also assured that after filing of a report in the court, updated information would be shared with the authorities in Pakistan.

“The meeting was extremely positive. It had moved forward in reducing trust deficit significantly,” Pillai told reporters after the meeting.

The two countries have also agreed that both sides would remain engaged on outstanding issues and dialogues between home secretaries and interior secretaries would be organised biannually. Top bureaucrats from both the countries have also decided to set up a hotline between them to share real-time information on terrorist threats.

Sources in the Union government have also confirmed that Pakistani authorities were hopeful that the high court could allow the Pakistan government to provide voice samples of terrorists allegedly involved in the Mumbai attack to Indian investigators. A lower court in Pakistan had rejected the case initially.