'We would try all Mumbai accused in our courts'

Declining India’s demand to handover 20 terrorists in the wake of Mumbai terror attack, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari said his government was in no way involve in the ghastly incident, and also raised doubt over India’s claim the lone survived terrorist, who has been arrested by the Indian security forces, was a Pakistani national.

Talking to a US television network CNN on Tuesday night, President Zardari said, “We have not been given any tangible evidence to say that he is definitely a Pakistani. I very much doubt that he is a Pakistani.”

Further Zardari assured India that he will look seriously into all proofs that are given to his government. He, however, said just few names of individuals have come into light but no proof; no investigation has been brought forward so far.

He firmly said: “We would try all accused in our courts, we would try them in our land, and we would sentence them, if enough evidence of the individual’s involvement is provided.”

The dastardly massacre in Mumbai was committed by “stateless actors.” The gunmen and their conspirators, whoever they are, have been holding hostages whole world, he stated. Zardari said Pakistan, too, has been the victim of terrorism and he had felt it very closely.

The state of Pakistan is a victim. It is not involved. We are the victims of this war, and I am sorry for the Indians and we need to deal with it jointly.

When asked about India’s suspicion of a terrorist organisation, Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), who operates from Pakistan soil was behind the terrorist attack in Mumbai, Zardari said, LeT is a banned organisation in Pakistan and around the world. And if, indeed, they are behind the attack, we would not know that, he added.

Answering to a query of India’s possible military action against terrorist base allegedly in Pakistan, he said, “I do not agree with that. It would only aggravate the situation and would be counterproductive.”

He, however, said we are willingly ready to cooperate with the Indian government in investigation and ready for a joint probe by the Pakistani and Indian security officials.

India had submitted list of most wanted fugitives, including underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Mohammad and Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, accused of attack on Indian Parliament in 2000, and is willingly waiting for the Pakistan’s response. No Pakistan government official response has come yet.