Admitting that the trial of LeTs Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and six others charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks is stuck,Pakistan on Saturday said the formation of a commission to record the testimonies of two key Indian witnesses is necessary to take things forward. Interior Minister Rehman Malik who had a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal here on Saturday morning contended that the trial of the Pakistani suspects has run into problems over the issue of Indian witnesses testifying via video-conferencing as this is not allowed under Pakistani laws. He said he had discussed the formation of the commission comprising relevant officials who would visit India to record the statements of a magistrate and a police officer during a recent telephonic conversation with his Indian counterpart P Chidambaram. Chidambaram had told him that the Pakistani proposal would be examined when it is received,Malik told reporters after meeting Sabharwal at the Interior Ministry. The Pakistani anti-terrorism court conducting the trial is yet to decide on Indias proposal that the witnesses should testify via video-conferencing and the trial is stuck, he said. We want this trial to go ahead. Thats why I have proposed to India,while talking to Mr. Chidambaram,that how about if we move our case to our trial court and request them to appoint a commission? he said. Pakistani prosecutors will approach the Rawalpindi-based trial court on Monday with a petition on forming the commission,he said. Though India proposed that the testimony of the two witnesses the magistrate who recorded the confessional statement of lone surviving Mumbai attacker Ajmal Kasab and the police officer who investigated the incident should be recorded via video conferencing,Malik said this was not permitted by Pakistani laws. Though such video-conferencing is not allowed under domestic laws,prosecutors have made a special request to the trial court to allow Indian witnesses to testify over a video link. The anti-terrorism court is yet to decide on this issue,Malik said. He also said authorities in Islamabad expect to receive Indias response to Pakistans latest dossier on the Mumbai attacks early next week. The next hearing in the trial of LeTs operations commander Lakhvi and six other Pakistani suspects is scheduled for September 18. The court is expected to take up the prosecutions applications for recording the testimony of Indian witnesses via video-conferencing and for gathering voice samples of the accused on that date. Defence lawyers have opposed both applications,saying they are not permitted under Pakistani laws.
