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Prosecution not possible: Gilani

Nirupama Subramanian

Laws don’t cover terror acts outside Pakistan

Gilani rules out extradition also
Pakistan has no treaty with India

ISLAMABAD: After assurances that it would swiftly bring to book any Pakistani found involved in the Mumbai attacks, Islamabad on Friday said prosecution of the suspects would not be possible unless amendments were made to its own laws.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Pakistan’s anti-terror laws did not cover acts committed outside the country. “There are some discrepancies in the law. Our anti-terror laws need some alteration. If the offence is committed outside the country, we cannot prosecute unless we make amendments,” he told journalists in Lahore.

Mr. Gilani also ruled out extradition of Pakistani citizens to face charges in India as there was no bilateral legal arrangement.

“So we do not have an extradition treaty with India, nor do we have laws to prosecute the suspects unless we make the amendments,” the Prime Minister said.

Drone attack belies hopes

Meanwhile, a suspected U.S. drone attack in North Waziristan belied hopes in Pakistan that the Obama administration would stop these strikes. The attack, first since President Barack Obama took office on Tuesday, is reported to have killed at least five people. Geo television reported that 10 people were killed.

Three missiles targeted a house near Mir Ali in the tribal area on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The identities of the dead were not immediately clear.

The attack came a day after the U.S. announced the appointment of Richard Holbrooke as the special representative to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Holbrooke’s brief

If Pakistan was disappointed that Mr. Holbrooke’s brief did not include India, or more specifically Kashmir, as had been speculated, there was no apparent evidence of it in an official statement.

“Pakistan welcomes the appointment of Ambassador Holbrooke and looks forward to enhanced and fruitful engagement with the Special Envoy to further the cause of peace and stability of the region,” the Foreign Ministry statement said.

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