India on Thursday refrained from commenting on confusing reports from Pakistan on filing of cases against Ajmal Amir Qasab, the lone surviving terrorist of Mumbai attacks, and 13 others, saying it would prefer to wait for any official communication.
India on Thursday refrained from commenting on confusing reports from Pakistan on filing of cases against Ajmal Amir Qasab, the lone surviving terrorist of Mumbai attacks, and 13 others, saying it would prefer to wait for any official communication.
"I do not know, until you get the report from them...Let us wait for what they have done and let us wait for the official report from Pakistan," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters here.
He was responding when asked to comments on Pakistani media reports that Qasab and 13 others have been booked in Pakistan in connection with the Mumbai attacks on the basis of the probe conducted by the Federal Investigation Agency.
The reports were, however, denied soon after by Pakistan government.
"The problem is that unless India has official information from authoritative sources in Pakistan, it would be difficult for any official spokesperson to comment on it," Mukherjee underlined.
Government sources said much significance could not be attached to Pakistani media reports as the regime there could be planting these to test waters.
"By floating such reports in the media, the government can watch for reaction. It gives room for the government to backtrack," a source said, an observation which proved right as Pakistan government denied the reports soon after.
When reporters sought his comment on Mumbai attacks not being discussed by US special envoy Richard Holbrooke's meetings with the Pakistani leadership, Mukherjee suggested that it was not his mandate.
"It is not so far his concern. His mandate is to deal with Pakistan and Afghanistan, not India," he said. He said Holbrooke is visiting India and 'we will discuss' the Mumbai attacks and its aftermath with him.
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