Pakistani team can't quiz 26/11 witnesses: India

NEW DELHI: Indian government has barred the Pakistani team of lawyers from cross-examining witnesses in Mumbai terror attacks probe, Geo News reported.

According to Indian media, A Pakistani judicial commission on 26/11 attacks, which is in the neighbouring country to probe 26/11 Mumbai attacks, will only record the testimonies of the witnesses without cross-examining them.

Earlier, the Pakistani Judicial Commission arrived in Mumbai to find more evidence against the seven accused being tried in Pakistan.

Commission member Fawad Sher after speaking to Indian media had said that they will request the Indian judge presiding over the hearing to allow them to cross-examine the four witnesses.

The Indian government has, however, made it clear to Pakistan that the commission is here to only record the statements and not cross-examine the Indian officials. Pakistan's contention is that since charges against the seven accused are based on the lone surviving terrorist Ajmal Kasab's statement in Mumbai, it is necessary to submit critical versions of four people: The policemen who conducted the initial probe and the doctors who performed autopsies on the nine accomplices of Kasab who were killed. The Pakistani team said these statements may help quicken the trial.

India had been pressing for the conviction of the seven men of the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Pakistani custody, alleging they masterminded the 26/11 attacks, but Pakistan has taken a long time to bring them to trial.