Pakistan on Thursday criticised Home Secretary G K Pillai's remarks that the country's efforts to persecute the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks are a "facade", saying such comments were "misleading".
"The Indian Home Secretary's remarks on the Mumbai attacks trial in Pakistan are misleading to say the least. The Pakistan government is seriously pursuing the trial," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit told a weekly news briefing.
Basit was responding to a question about Pillai's remarks on Monday that Pakistan's efforts to prosecute those behind the Mumbai attacks were a "facade".
Pillai also said Pakistani authorities had not taken action against people in the "control room" who orchestrated the terrorist assault.
The foreign office spokesman contended that the trial of seven Pakistani suspects, including Lashkar-e-Tayiba operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, could move forward if there was more cooperation from India.
"Nevertheless, in order for the trial to conclude successfully, Indian cooperation is absolutely essential. India needs to do more on its side, (by) taking practical steps and by responding to Pakistan's requests in the context of the Mumbai trial here rather than casting aspersions on our intentions," he said.
Pakistan is currently awaiting India's response to its request to send a commission to India to interview key persons linked to the Mumbai attacks, including lone surviving attacker Ajmal Kasab, the magistrate who recorded Kasab's statement and the police officer who led the investigation into the incident.
The trial of the seven Pakistani suspects by a Rawalpindi-based anti-terrorism court has been marred by countless delays and procedural wrangles.
The judge has been changed thrice and only one out of over 160 prosecution witnesses has testified since the trial began early last year.
