Pak gives guarded response to Qasab death penalty verdict

Pakistan on Thursday reacted in a guarded manner to the death sentence handed down to its national Ajmal Qasab by an Indian court for his involvement in the Mumbai attacks, saying its legal experts would study the detailed judgement.

"We have seen in India the reported judgement on Ajmal Qasab and the sentence has been pronounced today. You will appreciate that our legal experts need to go through the detailed judgement," Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said.

"At this stage, what I can tell you is that Pakistan has strongly condemned the horrific Mumbai attacks. It is important that the culprits are brought to justice," he told a weekly news briefing.

In response to repeated questions on whether Pakistan government will extend legal aid to Qasab, Basit said Qasab's lawyers in India will decide on how to proceed further in the matter. He added that it was incumbent on the Pakistan government to provide assistance to its nationals abroad but it is important to determine where such aid is required and where it is not.

Asked about comments by Indian officials that the verdict against Qasab was a message to Pakistan that it should not export terror, Basit said, "it is important to avoid such far-fetched statements as both countries have agreed to resume their dialogue." Pakistan would approach the proposed dialogue in that spirit, he added.

A special court in Mumbai sentenced Qasab to death for the Mumbai terror attacks, saying that keeping such a terrorist alive will be a 'lingering danger' to the society and the Indian government. It pronounced capital punishment for the 22-year-old terrorist on five counts of murder, conspiracy to murder, waging war against the country, abetting murder and committing terrorist activities under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.