Pak awaits India's response on its questionnaire

Pakistan is awaiting India's response to 30 questions seeking further information on the Mumbai attacks and hopes it will provide "substantital material and evidence" to prosecute those involved in the carnage.

The queries were handed over on February 12 along with Pakistan's response to the Indian dossier on the incident. Yielding to intense international pressure, Pakistan had then admitted for the first time that the Mumbai terror attacks were "partly" plotted on its soil and launched from its shores for which it has arrested six persons.

In the face of evidence provided by India, Islamabad had also acknowledged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) links to attacks that began on November 26 and cost the lives of 183 persons.

During a meeting with Interpol secretary general Ronald Noble here on Saturday, prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani briefed him on the progress in the probe into the Mumbai attack and hoped India will provide "substantial evidence and material" to Islamabad for the successful prosecution of persons arrested in Pakistan.

An official statement said Gilani "hoped that India will respond positively and provide substantial evidence and material to the Federal Investigation Agency (for) successful prosecution of those culprits in Pakistan who are involved in the Mumbai terror attacks".

Noble is visiting Pakistan for the second time after the Mumbai attacks at Gilani's invitation to share information on the FIA's investigation into the incident.

Authorities in Pakistan have arrested six suspects in connection with the Mumbai attacks. Four of the suspects – Lashker-e-Taiba activists Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Zarar Shah, Abu al Qama and Hamad Amin Sadiq have been remanded to the FIA's custody till March 17 by an anti-terrorism court.

They are facing charges under the anti-terror and cyber crime laws. Pakistan officials have said they need further information from India for their successful prosecution.

The statement said Noble was "highly appreciative of the transparency" shown by Pakistan's political leadership in "ensuring a prompt and professional probe followed by registration of a criminal case" against persons "who had a role in planning or facilitating the culprits" responsible for the carnage in Mumbai.

Noble also thanked the Pakistan government for sharing the information that had been provided to India on February 12 as well as the "pertinent questions that need to be answered soon by the Indian authorities for finalization of investigation by the FIA and for successful prosecution of the case in Pakistan".

The Interpol chief on Friday, met interior ministry chief Rehman Malik, who gave him the information Pakistan had provided to India through diplomatic channels.