Pak claims no record of Ajmal in its national database By Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, Dec 23 (PTI) Pakistan, which faces accusations
of being in constant denial mode after the Mumbai terror
attacks, Tuesday claimed it had no record of Ajmal Amir Iman,
the lone captured terrorist but promised to respond by
Wednesday to his letter seeking legal assistance from it.

An examination of the National Database and Registration
Authority (NADRA), Pakistan's national database, had provided
no records on any national named Ajmal Amir Iman alias Ajmal
Kasab, Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik told reporters.

"As far as Ajmal Kasab is concerned, NADRA authorities do
not have any records of his," Malik said after a meeting with
visiting Interpol chief Ronald K Noble here.

Islamabad has not acknowledged that Kasab is Pakistani
and has said it is waiting for proof of his citizenship. In an
embarassment to the Pakistani government, former premier Nawaz
Sharif said last week Kasab is of Pakistani origin.

"Pakistan's High Commission (in New Delhi) has received a
letter said to be written by Kasab and we will get it examined
by our experts. We will give a detailed response today or
tomorrow," Malik said. Kasab has written that all the gunmen
involved in the November 26 attack came from Pakistan.

In the letter, a copy of which was sent to Malik
Monday by the Pakistan High Commission, Ajmal had detailed
the circumstances of his arrest and sought legal assistance
from the Pakistan government.


Malik claimed that the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), the banned
terrorist group blamed for the Mumbai attacks, did not "exist
now" and the government would decide on proscribing its front
organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) if investigations proved it
was involved in terrorist activities. PTI RHL
NIK
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