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Something fishy, says Pakistan Minister

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid, who has alleged non-cooperation by the Indian government in identifying the victims of the Samjhauta Express firebombing, made it clear on Saturday that he was going to keep up the pressure.

At a press conference, Mr. Rashid reiterated his allegation that New Delhi had increased the trauma of the relatives of the Pakistani victims by not providing the passenger list, and said there was "something fishy" about it.

He said if the train was meant to improve relations with India, this incident had shown that "you cannot clap with one hand." He thanked the people of Patiala and Ambala for helping the victims, and said it showed that the people on both sides wanted friendship.

But there were obstacles, and in this case, all the obstacles had come from India, he alleged.

"We want this train service to continue, we want the Thar Express to continue, we want many more trains, but not at the cost of the dignity of our people," he said.

`No friction'

Refuting reports that he was unhappy with the Foreign Ministry and Minister Khursheed Kasuri for not being assertive enough with India, he said there was no friction between the two. "The Rail Ministry and the Foreign Ministry are like one," he said.

The Railways Minister demanded that if India was reluctant to conduct a joint investigation as he had wanted, it must complete the investigation "within days, not months" and share the results with Pakistan.

Saying it was inconceivable that an international train did not have the passenger list, Mr. Rashid said Pakistan was willing to accept any "reasonable explanation."

"If they don't have [the list], at least they should talk to us. They should say sorry we don't have [the list], they must apologise to us," he said.

He also criticised Indian investigators for questioning Rana Shaukat, who had lost five children in the attack.

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