We're not obliged to arrest Saeed, says Pakistan

Pakistan has said it is "not obliged" to immediately arrest Lashker-e-Toiba founder Hafiz Saeed even if an Interpol Red Corner notice has been issued against him and claimed that evidence provided by India in three dossiers were "not sufficient" to link him to the 26/11 attacks.

"Pakistan needs to examine the evidence provided by India on the basis of which Interpol issued a Red Corner notice against Hafiz Saeed. Certain procedures are required to pursue the notice," Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik said.

In an interview to Saudi daily Arab News, Malik said even if a Red Corner notice has been issued against Saeed, the government was "not obliged to immediately arrest him".

"We are free to make our own investigations against the man, and then take steps accordingly," he said.

Malik claimed that the evidence provided by India in three dossiers "is, in our considered view, not sufficient to link Hafiz Saeed to the (Mumbai) attack and to punish those who are guilty."

"We appeal to India to share information with us, and also to keep faith in our legal system and judiciary," he said and reiterated his claim that India could have averted the Mumbai attacks by sharing information with Pakistan.

"Let me tell you, India could have prevented the terror attacks in Mumbai if they had shared intelligence with us after the arrest of two terrorists -- Fahim Ansari and Sabah Uddin," he said.