Kasab verdict boosts India's case ahead of PM-Zardari meet

With the Supreme Court upholding the death sentence on the Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab, India's case for action against others involved in the Mumbai terror attacks got strengthened ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari in Teheran on Tuesday.

The two leaders will confabulate on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement Summit here shortly after Zardari flies across from Islamabad. The scheduling problems for their second meeting since the Pakistani leader came to Delhi in April, have been resolved and they will meet at 7 pm IST.

Terror remains high on the agenda and India's continuing concerns over lack of action against those in Pakistan believed to have been actively involved in 2008 Mumbai attacks will be flagged by Singh.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, who is also in Teheran for the NAM meeting, lost no time in drawing attention of the apex court's verdict on Kasab. "I am sure Pakistan will not fail to take note of it," Krishna said and quickly added that the Pakistani judiciary is also proactive.

"The Supreme Court is the highest court of appeal in India and when it announces something it becomes law of the land. Other things will follow," he said.

Indian officials pointed out that India had convicted some of those involved in the Mumbai attacks through the same set of evidence which was provided to Islamabad in a trial which was not a "show trial".  

Against the backdrop of Pakistan equating the Mumbai attacks with Samjhauta train blasts to project that it is also a victim of terrorism, India has made a clear distinction between the two incidents, saying they were "very different" and at some stage Islamabad needs to "come clean" on this.

Asserting that India has provided enough evidence to show involvement of not only non-state actors but also of official hierarchy in 26/11 attacks, the officials said Dr Singh will raise the issue of terrorism, which is of prime concern to the country, with Zardari.

Pakistan keeps switching judges, and people inside the jails are using mobile phones to run their network, they said, clearly expressing India's unhappiness over the slow progress of the 26/11 trial in that country.