ISLAMABAD (Reuters/PPI) – Pakistan said on Thursday that evidence supplied by India failed to strengthen a case for the arrest of Hafiz Saeed.
Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said Pakistan was proceeding with case but the information provided by India had not helped.
“The material contained in that … dossier apropos Hafiz Saeed is not really enough and doesnÂ’t really strengthen our hands to take, or to proceed legally, as has been expected,” he told a weekly news conference.
Indian officials, having handed over a fresh dossier last Saturday, have insisted that Pakistan has enough evidence to successfully prosecute Hafiz Saeed and others.
Saeed was detained in the wake of the Mumbai attacks after a UN Security Council resolution put him on a list of people and organisations supporting al-Qaeda.
But in June, the Lahore High Court released him on grounds of insufficient evidence, prompting the government to lodge an appeal with the Supreme Court for his re-arrest.
The Supreme Court adjourned a hearing this week without fixing any new date and SaeedÂ’s lawyer said it had been put off as the governmentÂ’s prosecutor was not prepared.
Pakistan has expressed confidence that the forthcoming meetings between foreign secretaries and foreign ministers of India and Pakistan would lead towards progress for resumption of composite dialogue process.
Responding to a question, Basit said dates and venue of the foreign secretaries meetings are being finalised. The foreign secretaries would report to the two foreign ministers who will be meeting in New York in September this year on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.
To another question, he said it is necessary for the two countries to sit together, take hard decisions and resolve bilateral disputes for the sake of sustainable peace in the region.
He said there is a realisation in India as well that the Kashmir issue needs to be resolved for lasting peace in the region. He said the issue not only involves Pakistan and India but also Kashmiris who are struggling for the right to self-determination.
The spokesman said induction of nuclear submarine by India is not a happy development. He said Pakistan would show restraint and would not bog down in the arms race.
He said Pakistan is cognizant of the security risks and would continue to do whatever is required to preserve and maintain a credible deterrence.
He said the issue of Indian interference in Balochistan was raised during prime ministerÂ’s meeting with his Indian counterpart at Sharm El-Sheikh and this was duly reflected in the joint statement.
The spokesman told a questioner that Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project was very much there and would be implemented.
He said discussion between Pakistan and France have already started on the proposed framework agreement and hoped that it would be ready for signing during visit of the French President Nicolas Sarkozi to Pakistan later this year.
The spokesman said dates of US Secretary of State Hillary ClintonÂ’s visit to Pakistan are being worked out.
Basit said Pakistan-Iran-Turkey train would be launched on 14th of this month. He said the government is preparing Malakand-Swat pilot project for its submission before the next meeting of Friends of Democratic Pakistan in Istanbul.
He said top leadership of the country has taken up the issue of arrested Pakistani family in Saudi Arabia on charges of drug smuggling. He said Pakistan is vigorously pursuing the case as it considers that the Pakistani nationals are innocent. About Dr Aafia, he said we are in the process of nominating defence counsel and hoped to put up a strong case for her repatriation to Pakistan. He however said for this to happen, the defence counsel will need fullest cooperation from Dr Aafia.
He said the UK Court had rejected petitions of several Pakistani students against their forced deportation to Pakistan but he students are planning to file another appeal which is likely to be heard in March/April next year.
The spokesman said the remains of an official of Pakistan Embassy in Jakarta who fell victim to swine flu were brought to Pakistan and buried in Islamabad on Thursday.
He said the government was considering issuance of travel advisory to Pakistani citizens.