New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS) Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde Thursday said Lashkar-e-Toiba founder Hafiz Saeed had visited Pakistan-administered Kashmir before the killing of two Indian soldiers by Pakistani troops in Jammu and Kashmir.
He, however, told reporters that there was no rethinking on the new visa agreement operationalised by the two countries last month and it would be implemented by the government.
Shinde indicated that information about the movement of Saeed in Pakistan-administered Kashmir was received by intelligence agencies and the government was trying to get details of his visit.
“(There) has been information that Saeed entered PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) and talked to some people,” Shinde told a press conference here.
Asked if militants were involved in carrying out the raid on Indian soldiers, Shinde said: “I do not have that information. But we are very keen to get such information. We are on the line”.
There have been reports that Saeed, wanted by India in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, was in the region a few days before Pakistani troops ambushed and killed two Indian soldiers.
Asked when a judicial commission from Pakistan would visit India for cross-examination in connection with the Mumbai attack trial, Shinde said no date had been finalised but the government wanted these should be decided soon.
Shinde indicated that the government was willing to go ahead with the new visa agreement despite the sudden dip in equations following the brutal killing of two soldiers.
“There is no rethinking. It will be carried out,” Shinde said.
India Wednesday lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over the killing of the two soldiers.
