Pranab contradicts NSA, says Pak yet to respond officially

New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) Contradicting National Security
Adviser M K Narayanan's claim that Islamabad has reverted on
Mumbai attacks dossier, India's External Affairs Minister
Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday asserted that India is yet to receive
any official response from Pakistan.

"That he (Narayanan) has said in his own way. The fact
of the matter is that after they (Pakistan) received material
from us, we have not received any official communication about
the progress of investigation conducted by them," Mukherjee
told reporters here when referred to the NSA's comments.

Narayanan had in a TV interview two days back claimed
that Pakistan had reverted on the Mumbai attacks dossier,
asking questions to which answers were being given.

"What I am aware of is that after the receipt of the
dossier by Pakistan, the Pakistan government has reverted to
us and asked number of questions to which answers are being
provided.... I presume they are yet to receive replies to the
second set of queries they have made," the NSA had said.

Mukherjee, however, emphasised, "As I stated earlier, we
are awaiting official information" from Pakistan.

On Pakistan barring its cricketers from playing in the
Indian Premier League (IPL), Mukherjee said "it is for them
(to decide). I do not bring politics in cricket. Sometimes, we
also cancel trips."

Pakistan Monday barred its cricketers from playing in
the high-profile tournament, saying it would be unsafe for the
players to travel to India in view of the tense relations
between the two countries.

The decision to decline permission came just four days
before the IPL player's auction in Goa and could further
strain the sporting ties between the two countries.

Saleem Altaf, the chief operating officer of the Pakistan
Cricket Board said they had received copy of a letter from the
Foreign Affairs Ministry sent to the Sports Ministry which
declined permission to the players to travel to India for the
Twenty20 tournament. PTI