Pak not taking Kasab's letter seriously: media report

Islamabad, Jan 5 (PTI) Pakistan's foreign ministry has
not taken seriously the letter or confessional statement of
Ajmal Amir Iman, the lone terrorist captured for the Mumbai
attacks, according to a media report.

"Such material cannot be treated as ample proof," a
source in the Foreign Office was quoted as saying by 'The
News' daily.

The statement of Iman alias Ajmal Kasab does not
amount to admissible proof under "any penal code anywhere in
the world, including India or Pakistan", it said.

Indian authorities should produce "credible evidence"
to establish Iman's identity as some "Indian papers" had
reported that he is an Indian national, the anonymous source
claimed.

The foreign ministry did not take Iman's letter or
confessional statement seriously, the sources said.

Sources in the interior ministry told the newspaper
that Pakistani authorities have not concluded their
investigations into Iman's claims and would respond to his
request for legal assistance shortly.

They also claimed the National Database and
Registration Authority (NADRA) does not "verify Kasab's claim
of being a Pakistani national as it lacks official data to
prove his assertion".

However, NADRA's database covers only 60 million of
Pakistan's total population of over 160 million.

The report also said the Pakistan government was "in a
fix as to how to react to" Iman's letter, in which he said he
is a Pakistani belonging to Faridkot village in Punjab
province and a Lashker-e-Taiba operative who participated in
the Mumbai attacks.

The Indian government provided Iman's letter and his
confessional statement to Pakistani authorities on December
23. Iman also wrote in the letter that he wanted legal
assistance from Pakistan before his police remand period ended
on January 6.

The covering letter said the Mumbai Crime Branch is
eagerly awaiting a response from Pakistan authorities before
it starts looking for other legal options for Iman. PTI RHL
SAK
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