NEW DELHI (Reuters) -- Investigations have shown that the Mumbai attacks were not planned from Pakistan, the country's high commissioner to Britain has told an Indian television news channel.
"Pakistani territory was not used so far as the investigators have made their conclusions," Wajid Shamsul Hassan, Pakistan's high commissioner in Britain, told India's NDTV channel in an interview on January 30.
This is the first time a Pakistani top official has commented in any detail about the dossier of evidence which India said it had handed to Pakistan last month.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani told Reuters on January 28 that Pakistan would release details of its investigation "very soon."
India and Pakistan have exchanged heated rhetoric since the Mumbai attacks that killed 179 people in November.
India says they were carried out by Pakistani nationals and must have had support from Pakistani state agencies. Pakistan denies that and says it will cooperate with Indian authorities.
"We are still waiting for the official response from the Pakistani government," the Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman in New Delhi said when asked for a response to Hassan's interview.
'State Of Denial'
The spokesman said he had no idea when the response from Pakistan would eventually come.
Indian analysts said Pakistan was still in a "state of denial," and said New Delhi would have to take stronger action.
"India will retaliate, but what will be the form of retaliation will be decided by the government," Naresh Chandra, a former Indian envoy to Washington told Reuters.
"We will have to show the world that we have exhausted remedies and options. India must confront both the U.S. and the United Kingdom on what Pakistan is saying now," Chandra added.
Others said relations between India and Pakistan could sour further.
"The relationship will remain frozen for a while and there are no prospects for any meaningful cooperation," said Brahma Chellaney, a professor of strategic studies at the Center for Policy Research. "It is clear that Pakistan is playing a diplomatic game with India and the world."
Both the United States and Britain have backed India's assertion that the Mumbai attacks originated from Pakistani territory, but did not accuse the government in Islamabad. of involvement.
During the interview, Hassan said Islamabad hoped other countries would accept their findings.
"We are not doing any whitewashing business. We believe in going about facts. Our findings will be acceptable to the world," Hassan said.
"They categorically informed me that [the] U.K. was not involved. [Pakistan] was not involved. Its territories were not used for planning this operation," Hassan said.
India has said the dossier sent to Pakistan contains confession of a surviving attacker, satellite phone intercepts between the attackers and their handlers from Pakistan, and a list of Pakistani-made weapons used by the militants.
"Pakistani territory was not used so far as the investigators have made their conclusions," Wajid Shamsul Hassan, Pakistan's high commissioner in Britain, told India's NDTV channel in an interview on January 30.
This is the first time a Pakistani top official has commented in any detail about the dossier of evidence which India said it had handed to Pakistan last month.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani told Reuters on January 28 that Pakistan would release details of its investigation "very soon."
India and Pakistan have exchanged heated rhetoric since the Mumbai attacks that killed 179 people in November.
India says they were carried out by Pakistani nationals and must have had support from Pakistani state agencies. Pakistan denies that and says it will cooperate with Indian authorities.
"We are still waiting for the official response from the Pakistani government," the Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman in New Delhi said when asked for a response to Hassan's interview.
'State Of Denial'
The spokesman said he had no idea when the response from Pakistan would eventually come.
Indian analysts said Pakistan was still in a "state of denial," and said New Delhi would have to take stronger action.
"India will retaliate, but what will be the form of retaliation will be decided by the government," Naresh Chandra, a former Indian envoy to Washington told Reuters.
"We will have to show the world that we have exhausted remedies and options. India must confront both the U.S. and the United Kingdom on what Pakistan is saying now," Chandra added.
Others said relations between India and Pakistan could sour further.
"The relationship will remain frozen for a while and there are no prospects for any meaningful cooperation," said Brahma Chellaney, a professor of strategic studies at the Center for Policy Research. "It is clear that Pakistan is playing a diplomatic game with India and the world."
Both the United States and Britain have backed India's assertion that the Mumbai attacks originated from Pakistani territory, but did not accuse the government in Islamabad. of involvement.
During the interview, Hassan said Islamabad hoped other countries would accept their findings.
"We are not doing any whitewashing business. We believe in going about facts. Our findings will be acceptable to the world," Hassan said.
"They categorically informed me that [the] U.K. was not involved. [Pakistan] was not involved. Its territories were not used for planning this operation," Hassan said.
India has said the dossier sent to Pakistan contains confession of a surviving attacker, satellite phone intercepts between the attackers and their handlers from Pakistan, and a list of Pakistani-made weapons used by the militants.