SM Krishna presses for quick trial in 26/11 case

With India's patience running out, external affairs minister SM Krishna today enquired from his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi about the progress into Mumbai attacks case and pressed for quickening the trial realising the "urgency".

Krishna made the enquiries from Qureshi during their face-to-face meet at a lunch hosted by Afghan foreign minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta in Kabul.

"I made enquiries about the progress they (Pakistan) have made about bringing to justice those who were responsible for the attack in Mumbai," said Krishna about his meeting with Qureshi in Kabul where the two were to attend swearing-in of President Hamid Karzai.

Krishna, while talking to accompanying journalists on his way back to Delhi, said he had pointed out that there has been "considerable delay" in the trial process. Qureshi responded by saying that trial had begun and it was going on, Krishna said, adding that his Pakistani counterpart explained that it was a judicial process in which the government could not interfere.

Krishna said it fully understood the explanation but emphasised that "the trial should be quickened within the limitation of what the Executive can do."  Krishna's enquiries came in the backdrop of repeated postponement of the trials in Pakistan against seven people arrested in connection with the Mumbai attacks, that is leading to prolonged delays.

The delay is causing exasperation in India which feels that Pakistan is not serious enough to expedite the process of bringing to justice those responsible for the heinous crime. Asked whether he set any deadline for Pakistan, Krishna said, "I did not ask for a deadline but insisted that the trial should be quickened."

On whether Pakistan was serious in pursuing the case, Krishna said, "I would not sit on the judgement on seriousness of Pakistan. It is for others to judge if Pakistan is serious. We hope that Pakistan realises the urgency of going through this process."

With the first anniversary of Mumbai attacks just a week away, India feels disappointed at the progress of the trial in Pakistan which it feels is showing no "sincerity or urgency" to bring the perpetrators to justice.

India, which suspended Composite Dialogue after 26/11, has made it clear that no bilateral talks are possible in "an environment of threat or terror."