New Delhi, February 26: India has asked Pakistan to hand over two Pakistani Army officers beilved to be part of the Mumbai attacks terror plot, claimed reports on Friday.
The specific demand is believed to be part of the new dossier handed over to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir by his Indian counter Nirupama Rao during their keen watched talks in Delhi yesterday.
The two Army officers have been identified as Major Iqbal and Major Samir Ali.
Major Iqbal is the first serving Pakistani Major to be named by India however it is still unclear weather Major Samir Ali is still serving with the Pakistan Army or has retired.
Bashir’s brief from Pak Army: India
India says trust deficit remains with PakIndia has also reiterated its demand for handing over JuD chief Hafiz Saeed and providing access to Al-Qaida commander Ilyas Kashmiri.
Kashmiri is the man named by US terror suspect David Headley as his mentor
Reports claim that India has in total asked Pakistan to hand over 33 terrorist including those five accused already in Pakistani custody to be handed over in the 26/11 case, along with three suspects, including Muzamil, Abu Hamza, Usman and Abu Kafa.
It has been reported that the dossiers has given substantial evidence suggesting that Pakistan has given safe heaven to 17 Indian Mujahideen and seven Khalistani militants.
Bashir has in return assured India of full co-operation on 26/11 case but dismissed the Indian dossier on Hafiz Saeed terming it as “literature, not evidence”.
Pakistan’s cautious response to Indian demand threatens the success of Indo-Pak engagement in future.
Although, the two sides did not issue a joint declaration, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said that the Indo-Pak talks were constructive, but there is an overriding need to restore trust and confidence between the two nations.
——Agencies