Pak shares Indian dossier with Saudi spy chief

Pakistan shared the Indian dossier on Mumbai attacks with the visiting Saudi intelligence chief and briefed him on the progress of its own probe into the incident,as Riyadh sought united efforts by the country's political forces to de-escalate tension in the subcontinent.

Pakistan shared the Indian dossier on Mumbai attacks with the visiting Saudi intelligence chief and briefed him on the progress of its own probe into the incident,as Riyadh sought united efforts by the country’s political forces to de-escalate tension in the subcontinent.

The November 26 attacks were discussed by Prince Muqrin Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud during his meeting with Interior Ministry Chief Rehman Malik.

Muqrin is in Pakistan to help defuse tensions with India and to press for resolution of differences between the political parties of Pakistan.

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There was no official word on Muqrin’s meeting with Malik though TV channels quoted official sources as saying that the Interior Ministry Chief shared the Indian dossier on the Mumbai attacks with the Saudi intelligence chief.

Malik also briefed Muqrin on the progress in Pakistan’s own probe into the terrorist attacks. As soon as the probe is completed,Pakistan will share its findings with India,the sources quoted Malik as saying.

Malik reportedly said that Pakistan would not hand over any person found to be involved in the Mumbai incident to India. Action will be initiated against such persons under Pakistani laws and they will be tried by the country’s courts,he added.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral ties,security and terrorism issues and intelligence sharing.

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Muqrin met President Asif Ali Zardari in the Presidential palace on Tuesday night. Malik and Inter-Services Intelligence chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha too were present during the meeting.

Zardari reportedly told Muqrin that Pakistan wanted peaceful and friendly relations with India on the basis of sovereign equality. Muqrin also met top leaders of all political parties,including Opposition PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party,at a lunch hosted on Tuesday by the Saudi ambassador.

During the meeting,Muqrin urged Pakistan’s political elite to unite and play their role for de-escalating tension with India,the Dawn newspaper reported. Muqrin,considered a confidant of Saudi King Abdullah,also urged the political leaders to bury their differences.

One leader quoted Muqrin as saying: “Saudi Arabia wants to see Pakistan internally strong because Pakistan is one of the pillars of the Muslim Ummah (brotherhood).”

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Some analysts said Muqrin had been dispatched to Pakisatan to defuse increasing tensions between President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani over distribution of power.

Sources also said Muqrin had been invited by Zardari to discuss Pakistan’s relations with India and a possible rapprochement between the PPP and PML-N.

“The leadership in Pakistan must sink its differences and resolve the differences through negotiations,” Muqrin was quoted as saying by The News daily.