Pakistan’s foreign ministry has released a statement that seems to suggest that Islamabad might want consular access to Kasab, even if it is informally and in the presence of Indian officials.
The statement reads thus,” Our own investigations cannot proceed beyond a certain point without provision of credible information and evidence pertaining to Mumbai attacks. Despite our requests, no evidence or information has been shared with the Government by India so far. Any criminal investigation proceeds from the scene of crime to the criminal. This is standard investigation procedure”.
Pakistan’s representative to the United Nations, Abdullah Haroon Hussain said that Pakistan must be given access to Kasab. When asked that asking for consular access would mean an admission that Kasab is Pakistani, Hussain said Islamabad wants access to make sure this is established.
“It is in the benefit of India to allow consular access to this person to the Pak authorities. The sooner that happens the better it would be for both countries. We should both walk towards each other and no one should be seen standing at one spot. If in your presence we access him that’s a good gesture of working together, even if he is not a Pakistani national. If he’s not found a Pakistani, then he s not a Pakistani. But if he is, we’ll all find out, won’t we? But until then, we don’t know for a fact and can’t identify the person as a Pakistani. We will say these are your (India’s) allegations,
