‘No apologies for goof-ups in wanted list’

New Delhi: Union home minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said although the goofups in the ‘most wanted’ lists were embarrassing, there was no question of apologizing to Wazhul Khan and Feroze Abdul Rashid Khan, who have been dubbed fugitives despite being in India.
Chidambaram also described exchanging such lists with Pakistan as a futile exercise, saying, “These lists have been exchanged in 2004, 2007 and 2011. The Pakistan government has always been dismissive.” TNN P 13

Refuses to say sorry, feels list exchange with Pak futile

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Home minister P Chidambaram feels that exchanging fugitives’ lists with Pakistan is a futile exercise.

Under attack from his rivals for the faux pas in the “most wanted” list handed over to Pakistan, Chidambaram dismissed the suggestion that the embarrassing lapse will encourage Islamabad to shrug off New Delhi’s demand for the custody of fugitives holed up in the neighbouring country. Asked about the concern in a TV interview, Chidambaram said “I doubt it. You see these lists have been exchanged in 2004, 2007 and 2011. Pakistan has always been dismissive.” The home minister also appeared to doubt the utility of exchanging list with Pakistan.

The minister denied the goof-up has damaged government’s credibility, but said it was “a wake-up call to the agencies to become more professional”. Chidambaram disagreed with the suggestion that the government owed an apology to Wazhul Kamar Khan and Feroze Abdul Rashid Khan, who have been dubbed fugitives despite being in India. Emphasizing that the two were fugitives from justice, Chidambaram said “it was not right to exonerate them at this stage” since they have been accused in grave cases.

The home minister said that while government was regretful and had said so, the suggestion that it needed to apologize is “carrying the argument too far”.

Errors shouldn’t be made big issue: Pak
Islamabad: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday said errors in a list of 50 fugitives sought by India from Pakistan should not be made a “big issue” and the two countries should move forward to enhance their friendship. AGENCIES

The Times of India, May 22, 2011