India, Pak squabble over communication on Kasab hanging

India and Pakistan were today squabbling over communication about the hanging of 2008 Mumbai attack terrorist Ajmal Kasab.

Immediately after the hanging was carried out in Pune, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said Indian mission in Islamabad has informed Pakistan government about the hanging.

"The External Affairs Ministry through our mission in Islamabad had informed the Pakistan government about Kasab's hanging. When they did not accept the letter, they were communicated through fax," he said in Delhi.

Pakistan, on the other hand, came out with a statement asserting that it had "received that note and acknowledged its receipt."

The Indian Deputy High Commissioner visited the Foreign Office in Islamabad last evening with the note regarding Kasab's execution and the Director General for South Asia in the Foreign Ministry "received that note and acknowledged its receipt," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Khan said.

Reacting to Pakistani assertion, government sources in Delhi said, as of now, the Indian High Commission has not received any "acknowledgement" from their foreign ministry.

"Indian Deputy High Commissioner had met his counterpart in the Pakistan Foreign Office DG (South Asia) yesterday (20 November) to hand over a communication with a copy of the letter from the authorities in the State of Maharashtra addressed to the next of kin of Kasab informing about the completion of the legal process and the hanging of Kasab on 21 November.

"The official had refused to accept the communication, following which the same was faxed from the Indian High Commission to the official and a transmission report received," the sources said.

25-year old Kasab was hanged at 7.30 AM at the Yerawada central prison in Pune this morning.