New Delhi: India on Thursday said the arrest of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed by Pakistani authorities on Wednesday should not be a mere “drama” like in the past and that it remains to be seen “whether this time it would be more than a cosmetic exercise and whether Saeed will be tried and sentenced for his terrorist activities”. New Delhi said it “hoped that this time Hafiz Saeed will genuinely be brought to justice”.
At his weekly briefing on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Ravessh Kumar said, “We have seen reports of the arrest of Hafiz Saeed by Pakistani authorities. ... This is not the first time that Hafiz Saeed has been arrested or detained. This drama has taken place at least eight times since 2001. The question is whether this time it would be more than a cosmetic exercise and whether Saeed will be tried and sentenced for his terrorist activities.” He also said, “We reiterate that Hafiz Saeed is a designated terrorist, the mastermind of Mumbai terror attacks and listed by the United Nations Sanctions Committee under the UN Security Council Resolution 1267. Effective action mandated internationally against Hafiz Saeed and his terrorist organisations is an obligation on part of all UN Member states, including Pakistan. He also carries a reward of US$ 10 million under US law.”
Mr Kumar added, “Hafiz Saeed and his front organisations LeT and JuD, recruit and train hundreds and thousands of persons and motivate and indoctrinate them on a violent agenda against India. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) — (the global inter-governmental body to combat terror financing) — has drawn attention to the clear evidence that organisations supported by Saeed continue to be involved in supporting and financing terrorist activities. Pakistan’s sincerity to take action against terrorist and terror groups will be judged on the basis of their ability to demonstrate verifiable, credible and irreversible actions against terrorists and to disrupt and dismantle terror groups operating from their soil. We hope that this time Hafiz Saeed will genuinely be brought to justice.”
