Pak hails Chidambaram's remarks on Samjhauta probe

Pakistan on Monday welcomed Home Minister P Chidambaram's remarks about sharing the findings of the probe into the Samjhauta Express bombing, claiming that the level of cooperation on interaction on security matters had enhanced between the two nations.

Welcoming his Indian counterpart's statement in this regard, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said, "I welcome the statement of Mr Chidambaram on Samjhauta Express investigations to be shared with Pakistan."

Malik also sought permission for a commission to visit India to quiz persons linked to the Mumbai terror attacks on micro-blogging website Twitter on Monday morning.

Since Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Swami Aseemanand confessed earlier in January that Sangh activists were involved in the 2007 attack on the Samjhauta Express, Pakistan has been pressing India to share the findings of its probe into the train bombing that killed nearly 70 people, including 42 Pakistanis.

Malik said Pakistan had "already proven its sincerity by supplying information on the non-state actors in the case of Mumbai blasts".

He contended that since Chidambaram's visit to Pakistan in June last year, "our interaction has enhanced the level of cooperation on security matters".

The interior minister did not give details about this cooperation on security matters. At the same time, Malik noted that Pakistan "has repeatedly requested for the visit of the judicial commission to India to testify the statements of police officers and other witnesses".

"Delaying the judicial commission means delay in bringing culprits to justice. It will also weaken the case to the advantage of the accused," Malik contended.

"My request to India is to please expedite the visit of the judicial commission, as justice delayed means justice denied," he added.

Last year, Malik had said that it is necessary for the commission to visit India to interview several persons, including lone surviving attacker Ajmal Kasab, to take forward the prosecution of seven Pakistani suspects charged with planning, facilitating and financing the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Lashker-e-Tayiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi is among the seven suspects on trial in a Rawalpindi-based anti-terrorism court. The trial has been dogged by several controversies and delays. India has sent several queries about the proposed commission and said it will decide on the matter after it receives Pakistan's responses.