In tit-for-tat, India stalls Pak 26/11 probe panel’s visit

After Pakistan called off the September 4 visit of its 26/11 judicial commission to India at the eleventh hour, India has rejected the new date of September 11 proposed by the neighbour. Jayanth Jacob reports.

After Pakistan called off the September 4 visit of its 26/11 judicial commission to India at the eleventh hour, India has rejected the new date of September 11 proposed by the neighbour.

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The tit-for-tat comes as a sign that all may not be well between the countries ahead of the proposed meeting between the two PMs, Manmohan Singh and Nawaz Sharif, in New York next month.

On his way back from the G20 summit on Saturday, Singh had hinted that talks with his counterpart on the sidelines of the UN general assembly would hinge on Pakistan’s progress in bringing the 26/11 perpetrators to book.

The Pakistani commission is to cross-examine the witnesses in the case. But New Delhi has conveyed to Islamabad that the proposed date is not suitable as witnesses will be unavailable due to Ganesh Chaturthi, sources have told HT.

While that was the reason officially conveyed to Islamabad, it has been learnt that New Delhi was not pleased with Pakistan for calling off the September 4 visit at the last moment citing “technical and procedural reasons”. Now, both countries will have to look at a fresh, “mutually convenient” date.