ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Monday called Indian Deputy High Commissioner G. V. Srinivas to ask for an update on investigations into February 18, 2007 Samjhauta Express train bombing that killed 68 people, mostly Pakistanis, near Panipat in Haryana, 80km from New Delhi.

Indian Deputy High Commissioner G.V. Srinivas was called to the Foreign Office today to ask for latest information in the investigations. An Indian weekly magazine Tehelka had reported on confession of arrested Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Swami Aseemanand, which allegedly revealed involvement of Hindu extremists in Samjhauta Express train bombing.

“It was reiterated to him that the government of Pakistan was awaiting the progress made by the government of India in the investigations into the Samjhauta Express blasts,” said a statement by the Foreign Office. “It was also underlined to Mr Srinivas that a response from the government of India may be conveyed at the earliest,” it added.

On night of Feb 18, 2007, bomb blasts tore through two carriages of Samjhauta Express as it travelled past Panipat towards Amritsar on way to Pakistani border. Sixty-eight people were killed, most of them Pakistani citizens.

Indian media said confession of Aseemanand was made before a magistrate on December 18, 2010 and is legally admissible evidence. He said RSS national executive member Indresh Kumar and another Sangh member, Sunil Joshi (later murdered), had been main masterminds behind activities targeting Muslims at religious and other places in Malegaon, Ajmer & Hyderabad.

Aseemanand said Joshi had been in charge of attacking Samjhauta Express. – Agencies