India/Pakistan

Islamabad will not hand over Mumbai suspects

Article published on the 2008-12-09 Latest update 2008-12-10 08:29 TU

Demostrators in Lahore, India.
(Photo: Reuters)

Pakistan will be conducting its own investigations into those allegedly involved in last month’s attacks in Mumbai, and it will not hand over any suspects to India, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Tuesday. “We will proceed against those arrested under Pakistani laws,” he added.

“The arrests are being made for our own investigations. Even if allegations are proved against any suspect, he will not be handed over to India,” Qureshi said.

Pakistan has arrested 16 suspects in the Mumbai bombings since Saturday, and India has requested that they are extradited to face trial where the attacks occurred.

Indian officials claim that the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group is behind the Mumbai attacks, and have said that it is keeping all its options open when considering its response. The Indian media has interpreted this to mean that there may be attacks on Pakistani soil.

“We do not want to impose war, but we are fully prepared in case war is imposed on us,” said Qureshi.

In an opinion piece published yesterday in The New York Times, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said that Pakistan and India share a common interest in fighting terrorism, adding that success will be won together or not at all.

“The Mumbai attacks were directed not only at India but also at Pakistan’s new democratic government and the peace process with India that we have initiated,” Zardari wrote.

“As was demonstrated in Sunday’s raids, which resulted in the arrest of militants, Pakistan will take action against the non-state actors found within our territory, treating them as criminals, terrorists and murderers.”