The trial of five men suspected of plotting last year's Mumbai attacks is likely to start next week, Pakistan's interior minister has said.

Rehman Malik said on Saturday that trying the men blamed for the death of 166 people was proof of Islamabad's commitment to punishing the culprits.

Malik said the investigation into the role that the five played in the three-day siege of the Indian city of Mumbai last November is "almost complete".

He said the five men were in custody, and "their trial is going to commence probably next week".

One of the five suspects, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, has been charged with masterminding the attacks, while the four others acted as facilitators and managed funds and hide-outs used by the attackers, Malik said.

India accusation

Malik rejected allegations - levelled by India - that Pakistan dragged its feet in the investigation.

India has also demanded that Islamabad hand over the suspects, but Pakistan has rejected that call, saying it would try any suspects in its own courts.

"We have gone [the] extra mile. We have done extra investigation, and we have proved to the international community that we are sincere in investigating this matter," Malik said.

"Accusations of being slow, being non-serious must end today after this final investigation and the trial which is likely to commence in (the) next few days."

There was no immediate reaction from Indian officials to Saturday's announcement.

New Delhi blames the assault on armed fighters trained in Pakistan and has pushed Islamabad to move swiftly to hunt down those responsible for orchestrating the attack.

About 10 armed men simultaneously attacked several places - including landmark hotels and a busy railway station - in India's financial capital in the country's worst terror attack till date.

While most of the attackers were killed after a prolonged gunfight with security forces, one suspected attacker has been captured alive. He is currently facing trial in an Indian court together with some other alleged plotters.