Islamabad, Sep 7 (IANS) Denying that the Pakistan government had anything to do with the delay in the trial of alleged conspirators behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik Friday said that the delay was more due to the existing system.
Talking to media on the sidelines of a dinner reception hosted by the Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Sharat Sabharwal here Friday evening, Malik said that the judicial process in Pakistan had to be followed against the accused.
"The delay is because of the system and not due to the government. The witnesses of the attack are not in Pakistan. We have done everything that we could, including arresting those people, but the judicial process has to be followed," he said.
Malik stressed that the "intentions of Pakistan in this regard were not wrong".
"We are cooperating in this matter (Mumbai attack trial) and not stalling it. We are working together (with India) to bring these people to justice," he said.
Over 160 people were killed as 10 terrorists from Pakistan attacked Mumbai Nov 26, 2008.
Malik said that the people of Pakistan were looking forward to the visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Pakistan.
"President (Asif Ali) Zardari has extended a personal invitation to the prime minister. I cannot advise the prime minister but only request him. It will be good if he comes," he said.
During the meeting of foreign secretaries of both countries here Friday, the issue of terrorism was raised by the Indian side.
"The issue (terrorism) came up for discussion in detail. We will take it up in the meeting of the foreign ministers tomorrow (Saturday)," a source said here.
(Jaideep Sarin can be contacted at jaideep.s@ians.in)
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