ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: India has declined to shift the bodies of unidentified victims of the Attari Express terrorist attack to Pakistan, contending that the nationality of the victims had not been determined.

Indian government informed Pakistan that it would hold a burial for the unidentified victims (in India), saying “in view of deterioration, it is not possible to keep these bodies for a longer period,” a Foreign Office statement said here on Friday.

“The Indian government has informed that the bodies of unidentified victims of the terrorist attack … would be given a burial on the afternoon of February 24.”

The statement said: “We requested the Indian government to shift the bodies to Pakistan for burial which was declined on the plea that nationality of the victims had not been determined.”

However, Pakistan has now requested India for proper separate burial with DNA identification to keep the possibility of bringing the remains of identified Pakistani nationals to Pakistan.

“The last batch of relatives who have been given Indian visa would be proceeding to Panipat tonight for possible identification of missing relatives among the victims,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, an official spokesman said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had personally intervened and directed the foreign ministry to supervise the burial and ensure that DNA identification of Pakistanis, if buried in India, were available to the relatives of the unfortunate victims of the tragic incident.

The Prime Minister also directed all departments dealing with the issue to extend all possible help to the relatives of the deceased so that they are able to obtain DNA test results of their kins, the spokesman added.—Agencies