`Pak may allow India to quiz suspects; won`t hand them over`

Islamabad, Jan 4 (PTI) Pakistan may allow Indian
investigators to "grill" the Mumbai attack suspects after
being provided with "sufficient evidence" of their involvement
in the deadly strikes, but will not hand them over to New
Delhi, a media report said here Sunday.

"At the most, Pakistan could permit the Indians to grill
the people now under detention and being questioned by the
Pakistani authorities and blamed by New Delhi for a key role
in the Mumbai carnage.

"However, there is no likelihood that they will be handed
over to India," a senior unnamed Pakistani official was quoted
as saying by 'The Nation' newspaper.

Lashkar-e-Toiba operations commander Zakiur Rehman
Lakhvi, the suspected mastermind of the Mumbai attack, and its
communications specialist Zarar Shah are among the militants
detained in Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai attacks.

Pakistan has turned down repeated demands from India for
them to be handed over to New Delhi. Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh yesterday said: "India does not want war with Pakistan
but it must hand over the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks."

But, the Pakistani official said that instead of
indulging in "a blame-game," India should provide substantial
evidence about the involvement of Lakhvi, Shah or any other
person in the Mumbai attacks to Pakistan.

If this is done, Indian investigators could be given
access to the wanted persons on Pakistani soil, he added.

The official said the same went for law enforcement or
investigation agencies from across the world. "But the main
thing is sufficient evidence proving the involvement of those
who are being blamed," the official said.

He said Pakistan was carrying out its own investigations
into the Mumbai attacks and was ready for a joint probe with
India. So far, there had been no response from India to
Pakistan's offer for a joint probe, he said. PTI