Mumbai attack case: Tehmina appears in ATC

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on Wednesday appeared before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad hearing the infamous 26/11 Mumbai attacks case.

An ATC-bench, headed by Justice Shahrukh Arjumand, had sought a report from the government regarding Indian witnesses.

Janjua told the judge that high-level meetings between Pakistani and Indian officials will be held soon, where the issue of 27 Indian witnesses would be discussed.

The anti-terrorism court  issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of witness Nazrul Sharif over his failure to appear before it. A witness, Abdul Samad, recorded his statement in the case.

The hearing of the case was adjourned until December 6.

Janjua was also accompanied by Foreign Office Spo-kesperson Dr Faisal.

Last year, the Pakistani authorities had approached the Indian government to send 27 witnesses to Pakistan to record their testimonies in the case, but since then no progress was made in this regard.

The seven suspects, including Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi,  Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younus Anjum are being tried by the ATC.

The FIA director, while expressing hope that the matter would be resolved soon, had apprised the court that the interior and foreign ministries have had two conferences with regards to the Mumbai attack case.

On this, the anti-terrorism court had asked the secretaries of the interior and foreign ministries to present the said report.

On November 26, 2008, armed men attacked India’s financial capital Mumbai following which tensions mounted between Pakistan and India.

At least 195 people, including 2 foreigners, were killed and several others were injured in the terror attack. India has been pushing Pakistan to expedite the trial in the Mumbai attacks case while the United States also Islamabad to cooperate with New Delhi.