Nothing fresh on Pak judicial panel's visit

Tuesday, 07 02 2012 10:12

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New Delhi, Feb 06 (PTI) There has been no fresh communication to India from Pakistan on the proposed visit of a Judicial panel to record statements of key officials linked
to the investigation of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, official sources said.
The panel was to arrive in the country on February 03 but the visit was cancelled by the Pakistani side at the last hour citing "some issues of legal nature".
"We have not heard anything new from Pakistan regarding the proposed visit of a Judicial panel," the sources said, adding that the government had indicated to Pakistan that it would be willing to receive the judicial commission in the first 10 days of February.
"They had then indicated a window of opportunity when this judicial delegation will come," a source said, adding that the visit was scheduled for February 3-6.
Just before the 3rd, Pakistan informed India that they would like to reschedule the panel's visit due to "some issues of legal nature", the sources said.
Asked if Islamabad has officially informed when the visit is likely to take place, the sources said, "We have not heard anything since then from Pakistan about the visit.
"The last communication we have from them is about their intent to reschedule and that they will come back with fresh dates."
Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik had recently indicated that the panel could be sent before February 10.
"One of the accused's lawyer has given an observation (regarding the commission), so that is (coming for the hearing) on February 04. We hope the decision will be taken on
February 06. If not February 06, it will go on to February 07. But I hope it will happen," Malik had said on February 03.
The commission is scheduled to interview the magistrate who recorded the confession of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving attacker, the police officer who led the investigation and two doctors who conducted the autopsies of the militants and victims.
Pakistan had wanted to question Kasab but he was not included in the list of witnesses that the commission could question.