AJMAL Amir Kasav — or whichever one of the several names being ascribed to him — who appears to be the only attacker captured alive during the Mumbai carnage, has reportedly provided information to the Indian police about himself and his colleagues.

It appears that mainly on this basis the Indians have managed to get sanctions slapped on some religio — charitable organisation and personnel, notably including Hafiz Saeed and his Jamaatud Dawa.

A few days back there was an informative article in Dawn titled 'Detecting the truth about lying', by Steve Connor. In it, the writer examined the various methods used for extracting information from people accused of crime(s).

He had also mentioned the use of intravenous anaesthetics such as sodium amytal and sodium pentothal, as well as some other drugs that have been used for their purpose by the US police since 1920. However, it soon became clear that the drugs had the same problem as torturing methods — they made people say things that they thought the interrogators wanted to hear.

Mr Connor has further revealed that scientists have produced fairly convincing evidence that drugs such as sodium pentothal do not extract truthful memories.

Instead, they tend to make interrogated person more talkative in a way that makes them suggestible to cues elicited by interrogaters.

A few days back there was news that the Indian police were debating the idea of using such drugs on Mr Kasav. However, prior permission is required from a court in order to do that. On Dec 11 it was reported in a section of the electronic media that the judicial remand of the captured terrorist had to be extended.

But due to security considerations, instead of producing him before the magistrate, the latter was taken to his prison, where the official asked Mr Kasav whether he had any complaints against those who were holding him. He is reported to have had an expressionless face and apparently did not give any answer.

This raises the strong possibility that he may have been subjected to some drug in order to extract certain information. This process, as we have seen above, could have been akin to torture and puts into doubt the value of the intelligence obtained from him.

While the Indians are likely to deny that such a method has been employed, for securing the interests of Pakistan and its citizens affected by the outcome of the man's interrogation by way of UNSC sanctions, some protective measures are required.

Thus, some human rights organisation, such as Amnesty International or, better still, Pakistani experts should be allowed to observe the proceedings to ensure such torture isn't being used.

If he is then found guilty, appropriate punishment could be given, as it should, to the likes of Col Sirikant Purohit responsible for killing scores of Muslims in the Samjhota Express and Malegaon blasts.

A. HAKIM

Karachi