Samjhauta blast probe moving at snail's pace: Pak

Pakistan on Thursday accused India of conducting the probe into the 2007 Samjhauta Express train blast at a "snail's pace", even as it asked New Delhi to share with Islamabad "at the earliest" the latest developments in the case in which 42 of its nationals were killed.

"We hope that India would share the details of their investigations with Pakistan at the earliest as was conveyed to them formally on Monday," said foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit. "It is now almost four years since the blasts. The Indian investigation is clearly moving at a snail's pace to put it mildly," he said, responding to a question on fresh developments in the Indian probe.

Pakistan stepped up pressure on India to update it regarding the investigations following an alleged confession by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Swami Aseemanand recently to a special court in New Delhi about the involvement of Sangh activists in several terror attacks, including the bombing of the Samjhauta Express.

"In that reprehensible act of terrorism reportedly perpetrated by Hindu extremists, 42 Pakistani nationals were killed," Basit said.

Responding to another question, Basit said Islamabad was still awaiting New Delhi's "response to our suggestion to send our judicial commission to India as is required legally in the ongoing Mumbai attacks trial in Pakistan".

Pakistan has said it wants to send a commission to India to interview key persons like Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving attacker, the magistrate who recorded Kasab's confession and the police official who led the probe into the Mumbai attacks. "The delay on the part of India is obviously not helping the trial proceedings against the seven accused in Pakistan," Basit contended.

In response to another question, Basit said the Pakistan government was vigorously pursuing the Kashmir issue on the diplomatic and political fronts. "There is no laxity on this issue because it is one of the most important foreign policy issues for Pakistan," he said.

"The government will keep on making efforts to highlight this issue and we are trying for its peaceful resolution as well," he added.