Pakistan says Mumbai attack evidence being seriously examined

Jan 7, 2009, 10:30 GMT

Islamabad - Pakistan said Wednesday that information received from India about the Mumbai terrorist attacks was being 'seriously examined.'

'Pakistan remains fully determined in its investigations to uncover full facts pertaining to the Mumbai incident and is cognizant of the need for establishing legally tenable evidence,' said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Sadiq.

Ten gunmen killed more than 170 people in India's financial hub Mumbai in three days of mayhem beginning November 26, escalating tensions between the South Asian nuclear-armed neighbours.

India believes the carnage was masterminded by the Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. On Monday, it handed over material which it claimed clearly indicated that the gunmen, including the lone survivor who is in police custody, had direct links with Pakistan.

Pakistan has condemned the attacks and promised to assist India in the probe, but the prospects of serious cooperation between the two governments were dimmed by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's accusation that the attacks must have had the support of some Pakistani official agencies.

'We must convince the world community that states that use terrorism as an instrument of foreign policy must be isolated and compelled to abandon such tactics,' Singh said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Pakistani spokesman termed the allegations Indian propaganda unleashed 'to malign Pakistan.'

'Blame game and political point scoring is counterproductive and unacceptable,' said Sadiq.

He stressed the need for a responsible approach and enhanced cooperation to prevent terrorist attacks in Pakistan, India or elsewhere.