ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: The government said on Thursday it would ‘strongly contest’ the lawsuit filed against the ISI and its present and former chiefs in a New York court accusing the country’s premier spy agency of complicity in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
“The Government of Pakistan has taken a firm decision to strongly contest the suit filed against the ISI, its present and past Directors General,” said a statement issued by the Foreign Office.
The case will be contested by the government through its embassy in Washington. It is expected that the government will seek dismissal of the suit.
In an apparent effort to reassure unstated quarters of the government’s sincerity in contesting the suit, the brief statement from the Foreign Office said the court case would be defended ‘fully and properly’.
The statement then went on to note Prime Minister Gilani’s statement in the National Assembly: “We do not believe the ISI, as an agency of the Government of Pakistan, or its present and former of ficials could be subjected to civil litigation in the courts of the United States and we intend to take appropriate steps to obtain dismissal of this action.” The lawsuit was filed on Nov 19 by relatives of a rabbi who was killed along with his wife, during the 26/11 coordinated attacks on several sites in Mumbai, including a Jewish centre. ISI Chief Gen Shuja Pasha, his predecessor Gen Nadeem Taj and Lashkar-i-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed have been named in the suit as defendants.
The Israel-based father of rabbi Gavriel Noah Holtzberg had alleged in the suit, filed with the federal court in Brooklyn (New York), that: “Defendant ISI provided critical planning, material support, control and coordination of the attacks.” The court later summoned ISI officials.
The summons had whipped up an intense political controversy in the country in which opposition parties tried to stir nationalist sentiments. Prime Minister Gilani had then reassured the National Assembly that his government wouldn’t follow foreign dictates, ruling out compelling ISI officials to comply with the summons.
The lawsuit, though symbolic, caused fresh strains in the already complicated Pak-US relationship. Soon after the summons, a Waziristan resident filed a case against the CIA station chief in Islamabad, Jonathan Banks, with Islamabad police over drone attacks in tribal areas, compelling Washington to recall its top spy in Pakistan.
FO BRIEFING: The Foreign Office spokesman told a briefing on Thursday that Pakistan had pursued a foreign policy based on national interests and under the guidance of the country’s leadership with diligence, honour and dignity to promote ties with all countries during 2010.
Abdul Basit said: “The year 2010 has been a very busy year for Foreign Office. We have been able to inject more vigour and substance into our efforts towards pursuing our broad foreign policy objectives of peace and development.” He said the year was ending on a high note as the visit to Pakistan by the Chinese Premier this month reaffirmed the all-weather friendship between the two countries.
“The visit amply demonstrated that relations between the two countries have evolved from bilateral to regional and global planes,” he added. The spokesman said: “We are proud of this unique relationship and confident that our ties with China will continue to achieve ever new heights in the times to come.” “We have also been able to sustain the momentum in expanding our ties with the US on the basis of mutual respect, trust and interest. The third round of the PakistanUS Strategic Dialogue held in Washington in October helped push the process forward,” he added.
The European Union, he recalled, approved trade concessions to provide greater market access to 74 tariff lines and the matter now rested with the World Trade Organisation.
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