NIA MAY DROP 13 PAK WITNESSES TO EXPEDITE THE TRIAL

NEW DELHI/PANCHKULA: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) intends to drop 13 Pakistani witnesses in the Samjhauta Express train blast case.

“We have not heard anything formally from the Pakistani side since the summons for appearance of the witnesses were issued through the ministry of external affairs. The court had in July given four months to secure their presence. Although no final decision has been taken, the NIA plans to request the designated court in Panchkula to drop these witnesses in order to not delay the trial any further,” a home ministry official told HT on the condition of anonymity. Pakistan has repeatedly expressed “concern” over what it terms “unnecessary delay” in the Samjhauta case. But those who have followed the Pakistani tactics for long say the neighbouring country has never been interested in cooperating with India in legal matters. “Pakistan rakes up the case time and again just to ward off New Delhi and international community’s pressure to bring terror fountainheads like Hafiz Mohammed Saeed and Maulana Masood Azhar to justice who have been involved in targeting Mumbai and the Pathankot airbase,” said Arun Chaudhary, who had a long stint with Intelligence Bureau before retiring as chief of Sashastra Seema Bal.

A total of 68 people, including 42 Pakistani passengers, were killed in the firebombing of Samjhauta Express that took place when the bi-weekly train, connecting Delhi and Attari at India-Pakistan border in Punjab, was crossing Panipat on the night of February 18, 2007. Around half a dozen Hindu extremists, including Aseemanand, are facing trial in the case.

Sources said the testimony of Pakistani witnesses is important as they were travelling in the train at the time of the blast. After recording their initial statements with Haryana police, they were allowed to leave.