India, Pakistan squabble over communication on Kasab hanging
Immediately after the hanging was carried out in Pune, Sushil Kumar Shinde Pakistan did not accept the letter informing them about Kasab's hanging. Pakistan, however, said that it had "received that note and acknowledged its receipt."
India and Pakistan were today squabbling over communication about the hanging of 2008 Mumbai attack terrorist Ajmal Kasab.
Immediately after the hanging was carried out in Pune, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said Indian mission in Islamabad has informed Pakistan government about the hanging.
"The External Affairs Ministry through our mission in Islamabad had informed the Pakistan government about Kasab's hanging. When they did not accept the letter, they were communicated through fax," he said in Delhi.
Pakistan, on the other hand, came out with a statement asserting that it had "received that note and acknowledged its receipt."
The Indian Deputy High Commissioner visited the Foreign Office in Islamabad last evening with the note regarding Kasab's execution and the Director General for South Asia in the Foreign Ministry "received that note and acknowledged its receipt," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Khan said.
Reacting to Pakistani assertion, government sources in Delhi said, as of now, the Indian High Commission has not received any "acknowledgement" from their foreign ministry.
"Indian Deputy High Commissioner had met his counterpart in the Pakistan Foreign Office DG (South Asia) yesterday (20 November) to hand over a communication with a copy of the letter from the authorities in the State of Maharashtra addressed to the next of kin of Kasab informing about the completion of the legal process and the hanging of Kasab on 21 November.
"The official had refused to accept the communication, following which the same was faxed from the Indian High Commission to the official and a transmission report received," the sources said.
Twenty five-year old Kasab was hanged at 7.30 am at the Yerawada central prison in Pune on Wednesday morning.
The government sources said the Deputy High Commissioner also gave to his counterpart in the Pakistan Foreign Office another 'note verbale' asking for greater security for the mission and its staff in view of Kasab's hanging.
There was a possibility of some disturbance in that country due to the hanging, so New Delhi asked for additional security for its mission and the staff in the second note, they said, adding that it also had a small reference to Kasab's hanging.
It was accepted by the Pakistan foreign ministry, they said.