Concern remains at slow 26/11 trial in Pakistan: India

“India has, time and again, clearly expressed its concern and disappointment with Pakistan about the lack of progress in the Mumbai trial and bringing those responsible for this heinous terrorist attack to justice,” an external affairs ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

It said the issue was “forcefully raised” by External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna during his meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar in New Delhi Wednesday.

The statement clarified that the joint statement issued after the talks between the two leaders did not say India was satisfied with the progress of trial of seven Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists blamed for masterminding the terror act that killed 166 people in November 2008.

It sought to “categorically reject inferences that there was any expression of satisfaction on the progress on the Mumbai trial”.

The fourth paragraph in the joint statement mentioned that the “ministers reviewed the status of bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction on the holding of meetings on the issues of counter-terrorism (including progress on Mumbai trial) and Narcotics Control.”

“In regard to the resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan in February 2011, the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan expressed their satisfaction on the holding of meetings, at appropriate levels, on the outstanding issues between the two countries,” the statement said.

It said the issue has been the focus of many related India-Pakistan meetings and was also raised during the home secretary level talks in March in New Delhi.

It was also taken up “vigorously” at the foreign secretary level talks in June in Islamabad and on Tuesday in New Delhi, it said.