ISLAMABAD, Nov 25: A newly-engaged lawyer of the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai terrorist attacks has said that the confessional statement of Ajmal Kasab can not be used as evidence against any Pakistani suspect.

Raja Rizwan Abbasi, counsel for Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the alleged mastermind of Mumbai attacks, told a press conference here on Monday that Kasab during his trial in an Indian sessions court had retracted his confessional statement recorded before a magistrate and the Pakistani defence counsel had never got an opportunity to cross-examine him.

Mr Abbasi said that without cross-examining an accused his statement could not be used as evidence against co-accused.

He said India observed double standards in executing convicts. He said Indian courts over the past two decades had convicted 435 people in different murder cases but only four had been executed, including Kasab and Kashmiri activist Afzal Guru.

The counsel accused the Indian government of not providing the needed evidence which had caused delay in concluding the trial of seven Pakistani suspects.