Pakistan receives evidence on Mumbai blasts

Islamabad, Jan 5 (IANS) Pakistan said Monday that it has received evidence handed over by Indian authorities on the deadly Mumbai attacks and was reviewing it.
'The Indian Foreign Secretary has handed over some information material regarding terrorist attacks in Mumbai to Pakistan's High Commissioner in New Delhi this (Monday) morning,' foreign ministry spokesman Muhammad Sadiq told IANS.
He said the material has been received in Pakistan 'and is being examined by the concerned authorities'. The spokesman did not give any timeframe for a reply to the Indian authorities.
In New Delhi, Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters India has given Pakistan evidence linking to 'elements in Pakistan' the militants who carried out the Nov 26-29 attacks.
The material was handed over to Islamabad when US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher met Pakistani officials here. Sources said that he held a detailed meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and also discussed the Indian demand of handing over the 'masterminds of the Mumbai attacks'.
The US official, however, was told that Pakistan would reply to the Indian demands after reviewing the material it received Monday.
Pakistan has been saying that it would act against the culprits after receiving evidence from India.
'The material is linked to elements in Pakistan. It is our expectation that the government of Pakistan will promptly undertake further investigations,' the Indian external affairs minister said.
'What happened in Mumbai was an unpardonable crime. As far as the government of Pakistan is concerned, we ask only that it implement the bilateral commitments that it has made at the highest levels to India, and practices her international obligations. These are clear,' he added.
Pakistan has yet to reply to the Indian demand that Islamabad reclaim the bodies of the attackers who died during the carnage. India has been saying that all the 10 attackers were Pakistanis.
Nine of them died while the lone survivor, Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, who is in custody of the Indian security agencies has asked the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi to provide him with legal aid against the charges. Pakistan says it is studying the letter of Kasab.