Friday, June 10 2005 14:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: In the midst of controversy in India on BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader L K Advani's statement praising Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan has said his name does not figure in the FIR filed in 1947 in connection with the conspiracy to assassinate the founder of the nation.

A police file of 1947 containing an FIR relating to the attempt on Jinnah's life does not include Advani's name, a police official in Karachi was quoted as saying by Pakistani weekly 'The Friday Times'.

"The file was not in good shape but after looking at it, we have found that the name of 'Advani' does not appear either in the statements of any prosecution witnesses or in the list of accused that had absconded," the police official said.

The alleged FIR against Advani figured prominently in media reports in Islamabad ahead of his recent visit but Pakistan Foreign Office clarified that the Government was not aware of it. Advani also dismissed it as a "scurrilous" charge aimed at defaming him.

According to reports, the FIR in question was filed at Jamshed Quarters police station in Karachi on Sept 10, 1947 listed 19 Hindus for conspiring to kill Jinnah.

The names included Nand Gobindram, Gobind Lalsingh Ajwani, Chand Birwani, Hargobind Gidwani and Lekhraj Bagwan Das, the weekly said.

According to the FIR, the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) had sent Rs 52,585 to the accused men to help them execute the plan. Cheques of Rs 1,500, 2,500 and 3,000 were also deposited in the banks in the names of the accused.

The file revealed that the weapons and explosives were purchased by the money sent by the RSS President, the weekly said.