Pakistan commission to visit India by May 15

New Delhi Mar 29 (PTI) A Pakistani judicial commission
will visit India by May 15 to interview key witnesses in
connection with the trial of seven Pakistani suspects in 26/11
Mumbai terror attacks case.
This was agreed at the Home Secretary level talks
between India and Pakistan concluded here Tuesday.
Though Pakistan conveyed its readiness, in principle,
based upon the principle of comity and reciprocity, to
entertain a Commission from India with respect to Mumbai
terror attack, modalities and composition will be worked out
through diplomatic channels.
"It is too early to say who will actually visit
Pakistan from India and what will be their plan of action," an
official said.
As part of the judicial process of 26/11 case in that
country, the commission wants to visit India to take
statements of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate R V
Sawant Waghule, Investigating Officer Ramesh Mahale, who
recorded Mumbai attack convict Ajmal Kasab's statement, and
the doctor who carried out the post-mortem of the terrorists.
"We hope that the visit of the Pakistan commission
will facilitate the speedy trial of the case and conviction of
the guilty," the official said.
Pakistan's contention is that the charges against the
seven Lashkar-e-Taiba activists, including its operations
commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, are based on Kasab's
statement in Mumbai and hence the magistrate and the IO's
statements were absolutely necessary to submit before
the anti-terror court there.
India has already provided to Pakistan copies of
Kasab's statement that was recorded in Hindi and Marathi in
the presence of Waghule. An English version is also available
with Pakistan.