Pakistan: Trial of Mumbai Attackers to Start Next Week

By VOA News 11 July 2009

Rehman Malik speaks during a press conference in Islamabad, 11 Jul 2009

Pakistan's interior minister says the trial of five men accused of involvement in last year's deadly attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai will likely begin next week.

Rehman Malik told reporters on Saturday that Pakistan's investigation into the role of the accused is nearly complete and that based on the evidence, "the culprits will be punished."

The interior minister also rejected India's allegations that Pakistan was not serious about carrying out its investigation into the terror attacks that killed 166 people last November in India's financial hub. He said Pakistan went the "extra mile" in its probe.

India blames the assault on militants trained in Pakistan.

Earlier on Saturday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Press Trust of India news agency he hoped Pakistan would take credible action against perpetrators of the Mumbai attack.

Mr. Singh is set to meet his Pakistani counterpart for talks next week in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Pakistan's interior minister says one of the five suspects, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, has been charged with masterminding the attacks.

Pakistan is still searching for at least a dozen other suspects in the case. Malik called on India to provide additional information, including a statement from the lone surviving suspected gunman, Mohammed Ajmal Kasab. The Pakistani national is on trial in Mumbai for murder and "waging war" against India.

Indian security forces killed nine other gunmen during the 60-hour siege and arrested Kasab, who New Delhi says is a member of the Pakistani militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba.

India also has suggested Pakistani government agents were involved in the attack. Pakistan denies the allegation, which has heightened tensions between the neighbors.


Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.