Kasab's lawyer wants to inspect terror boat 'Kuber'

Mumbai:

Mumbai terror attack accused Mohammed Amir Ajmal Kasab's lawyer has sought permission from the trial court to inspect the marine vessel 'Kuber', allegedly used by terrorists to reach the city's shores, and various places where they had struck on November 26 last year.

Abbas Kazmi moved the application on Wednesday evening, saying the inspection of these places was necessary to prepare for Kasab's defence and study the material in the chargesheet filed before the court.

The lawyer said he may be allowed to inspect "Kuber" and terror target spots, including hotels Taj and Trident Oberoi, before witnesses step into the box to depose. Kazmi said he wanted to inspect the boat as the prosecution has alleged that Kasab and nine other terrorists had reached the shores of Mumbai on November 26 last on board this vessel.

The police had seized certain articles from the boat and sent them to forensic laboratory for tests. These include Kasab's fingerprints. Kasab is also charged with killing the navigator of this boat, Amarsinh Solanki.

The court will decide Kazmi's plea after hearing the special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam. The court hinted that it may also allow other defence lawyers to visit these places along with Kasab's lawyer.

In another development, Nikam tabled a list of documents including forensic reports and panchnamas which form part of the chargesheet 

Zardari hoping for better Indo-Pak ties, welcomes US help

Washington:

Hoping for better relations with India after the general elections, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said he would welcome any American help in improving Indo-Pak ties.

"I know they are busy at the moment. Democracies are always willing to work with democracies. I'm hoping for better relations," Zardari, who met President Barack Obama in Washington at a trilateral meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, said.

Obama, during his talks with Zardari, had bluntly told him that Pakistan needs to concentrate on security challenges within the Taliban-infested country rather than considering India as an "existential threat".

"I'm looking forward to a relationship with India after the elections," Zardari told reporters in response to a question at Capitol Hill, after his meetings with the leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee along with Karzai.

He was flanked by Karzai, John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and its Ranking Member, Senator Richard Lugar.

"If our American friends can help us, they're welcome to," Zardari said responding to a question and added, "We always encourage help from all friends".

In his interview early this week with the CNN, Zardari had said that he is awaiting the formation of a new government in New Delhi to start a "fresh dialogue" with it. The two-day trilateral summit of the US, Afghanistan and Pakistan that concluded on Thursday, saw the presidents of the three countries pledging to work together to "defeat" al Qaeda and the Taliban from the region.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik said "our friend" India should unconditionally support efforts by Islamabad to deal with the Taliban insurgency

Inflation rises to 0.70 pct on April 25

The wholesale price index rose 0.70 per cent in the 12 months to April 25, above the previous week's annual rise of 0.57 per cent, government data showed on Friday.

It was above a median forecast of 0.65 per cent in a Reuters poll of analysts. The annual inflation rate was 8.27 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year.

The wholesale price index is more closely watched than the consumer price index, which is published monthly, because it covers a higher number of products and is released weekly.