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Monday, December 23, 2024  
20 Jumada Al-Akhirah 1446  

Mumbai Attacks: Pakistani commission leaves for India

Pakistani officials say a commission is leaving for India on Wednesday to gather evidence for use in the prosecution of seven militants on trial in Pakistan over the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

Government prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfikar Ali said he and a Federal Investigation Agency official are part of the team, as are defense lawyers of the suspects.

Lawyer Khwaja Haris says the team will record evidence and cross-examine witnesses who cannot come to Pakistan.

Both men say the team will not be given access to the lone attacker caught after the attacks, which killed 166 people.

The visit is the first of its kind, and comes after Pakistan indicted seven alleged conspirators in 2009 but has since said it needs to gather more evidence in India before proceeding further.

New Delhi says Pakistan’s attempts at prosecution have been a “facade” and insists it has already handed over enough evidence to convict the accused.

The eight-strong commission of prosecutors, defence lawyers and a court official will travel to India Wednesday to take statements from witnesses and cross-examine them, senior public prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali told AFP.