We will apprehend culprits but no extradition, says Islamabad

NEW DELHI: Pakistan, which is under pressure from the international community to bring those responsible for the Mumbai attacks to justice, on Sunday said the culprits will be apprehended. But it continued to resist India���s demand for turning in the perpetrators and asserted that anyone found involved in the attack will be prosecuted under Pakistan���s anti-terror law.

Reports from Islamabad quoting the interior ministry chief Rehman Malik also suggested that investigations into the Samajhauta blast case will be used for countering ���extradite the culprits��� demand. Mr Malik told the news channel that if India persisted with its demand for the extradition of Pakistani nationals allegedly linked to the Mumbai attacks, Pakistan would seek the handing over of persons involved in the 2007 bombing of the Samjhauta Express train.

After reports appeared in Indian media suggesting a possible link of the Malegaon blast accused with the train attack, political leaders in Pakistan have been saying that the government should seek the extradition of Indian nationals, including Lt Col S K Purohit, for the bombing of the cross-border train that killed nearly 70 people, including Pakistanis. ���If the Indian demand for handing over the accused in the Mumbai attacks persisted, then the accused of the Samjhauta Express case might be asked for" by Pakistan,��� Mr Malik said.

But there is some forward movement was evident as Pakistan, which only reluctantly admitted one of its nationals had taken part in the attacks, has acknowledged that the evidence supplied by India contained leads and good clues. ���All culprits (involved in the Mumbai attacks) must be apprehended. Who will support such acts?��� he asked. He was in Lahore to brief opposition PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and his brother, Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, about Pakistan's probe.

Earlier, during an interview with a TV channel, Mr Malik said Pakistan's investigations into the Mumbai attacks are being conducted under the country's laws and the government will not accept any foreign pressure in this regard. He said no assistance would be sought from foreign countries though Indian investigators will ���be more than welcomed��� to help in the probe. ���Pakistan is very open and the inquiry officers have been bestowed with full powers to fulfil their task,��� Mr Malik said.