Pakistan has acknowledged for the first time that last year's terrorist
attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai were partly planned in Pakistan.
Interior Ministry chief Rahman Malik told
reporters Thursday the government has arrested six suspects and opened up a
criminal case that could lead to their prosecution for conspiring and
facilitating a terrorist act. He said part of the conspiracy has taken place in
Pakistan.
India welcomed the admission as "positive" and says it plans to
study Pakistan's official report.
Pakistan had earlier acknowledged that
the sole surviving gunman from the attacks is a Pakistani national. But
Islamabad denies any direct involvement in the three-day assault on Mumbai that
began November 26.
India has blamed the assault on the banned militant
group Lashkar-e-Taiba and has said elements of Pakistan's intelligence services
were involved. The militant group has denied the charge, and Pakistani officials
have dismissed India's allegations.
The three-day assault on Mumbai that
began on November 26 killed more than 170 people and raised border tensions
between Pakistan and India.
Some information for this report was provided by
AFP, AP and Reuters.