LAHORE PROBE SHOWS NO FOREIGN HAND SO FAR: PAKISTAN
Islamabad March 7:
In a turn around that is bound to embarrass Pakistan, its Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that the probe into the attack on the Lankan cricket team had not revealed any ‘foreign hand’ in the conspiracy.
Making a clear indication towards India he said, “Sri Lanka might have positively ruled out the involvement of ‘foreign elements’ but we cannot come to any concrete conclusion unless our probe is over”. “Although the investigations till now don’t point to any foreign link,” he added. “We are accountable to court, media and the people”, he said “and nothing regarding the attack on Sri Lanka cricket team would be kept off the record”. He also said the probe report will be revealed in 24 hours.
On the day of the attack, Lahore Commissioner Khushro Pervaiz was quoted as saying that Indian involvement in the terror attack cannot be ruled out, Today’s statement is also a backtrack of the stand taken by Rehman Malik. "Enemies of Pakistan who want to destabilise this country were responsible for the attack," Interior Minister had said in Islamabad on the day of the attack.
Even Lanka had on Wednesday distanced itself from speculative media reports about Indian elements being linked to the terror attack on its cricket team in Lahore, saying Colombo had scored successes in its counter-terrorism campaign due to New Delhi's support. India's Home Minister had also dismissed Pak finger pointing as rubbish. While making yet another summersault in its stand on Mumbai attacks, the Pak Interior Minister Rahman Malik asked India to answer its queries on 26/11 within 14 days or face the consequences.
“We will have to free Zarar Shah and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi if India does not come up with sufficient evidence to suggest their involvement in Mumbai attacks,” he said. Talking to the media, Malik said that “According to Pakistani law any prisoner can be kept in custody only for thirty days and if India doesn’t come up with suitable answer to Pak’s queries soon, they will be forced to free the alleged perpetrators of 26/11.” Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba rejected media reports in Pakistan that it was involved in an attack on Sri Lanka's cricket squad.
"These media reports are false, incorrect and baseless," Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) spokesman Abdullah Ghaznavi said. He was speaking by telephone from Srinagar from an undisclosed location. Pakistani newspapers suggested Friday that preliminary investigations pointed to the involvement of home-grown militants, including LeT, which has been blamed for the attacks in Mumbai late last year that killed 165 people. LeT has also denied any role in the Mumbai attacks.
"The attack on Sri Lanka's team was an attack on Pakistan's sovereignty and Kashmiri militants could never even think of that (such an attack)," Ghaznavi said. "The attack is the handiwork of Indian agencies to defame Pakistan and bring instability to the country," Ghaznavi said.
Islamabad March 7:
In a turn around that is bound to embarrass Pakistan, its Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that the probe into the attack on the Lankan cricket team had not revealed any ‘foreign hand’ in the conspiracy.
Making a clear indication towards India he said, “Sri Lanka might have positively ruled out the involvement of ‘foreign elements’ but we cannot come to any concrete conclusion unless our probe is over”. “Although the investigations till now don’t point to any foreign link,” he added. “We are accountable to court, media and the people”, he said “and nothing regarding the attack on Sri Lanka cricket team would be kept off the record”. He also said the probe report will be revealed in 24 hours.
On the day of the attack, Lahore Commissioner Khushro Pervaiz was quoted as saying that Indian involvement in the terror attack cannot be ruled out, Today’s statement is also a backtrack of the stand taken by Rehman Malik. "Enemies of Pakistan who want to destabilise this country were responsible for the attack," Interior Minister had said in Islamabad on the day of the attack.
Even Lanka had on Wednesday distanced itself from speculative media reports about Indian elements being linked to the terror attack on its cricket team in Lahore, saying Colombo had scored successes in its counter-terrorism campaign due to New Delhi's support. India's Home Minister had also dismissed Pak finger pointing as rubbish. While making yet another summersault in its stand on Mumbai attacks, the Pak Interior Minister Rahman Malik asked India to answer its queries on 26/11 within 14 days or face the consequences.
“We will have to free Zarar Shah and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi if India does not come up with sufficient evidence to suggest their involvement in Mumbai attacks,” he said. Talking to the media, Malik said that “According to Pakistani law any prisoner can be kept in custody only for thirty days and if India doesn’t come up with suitable answer to Pak’s queries soon, they will be forced to free the alleged perpetrators of 26/11.” Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba rejected media reports in Pakistan that it was involved in an attack on Sri Lanka's cricket squad.
"These media reports are false, incorrect and baseless," Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) spokesman Abdullah Ghaznavi said. He was speaking by telephone from Srinagar from an undisclosed location. Pakistani newspapers suggested Friday that preliminary investigations pointed to the involvement of home-grown militants, including LeT, which has been blamed for the attacks in Mumbai late last year that killed 165 people. LeT has also denied any role in the Mumbai attacks.
"The attack on Sri Lanka's team was an attack on Pakistan's sovereignty and Kashmiri militants could never even think of that (such an attack)," Ghaznavi said. "The attack is the handiwork of Indian agencies to defame Pakistan and bring instability to the country," Ghaznavi said.
