New Delhi: Lashing out strongly, India on Friday said Pakistan’s support to UN-designated terrorist and Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed and his proscribed Jamaat-ud-Dawah was “nothing short of mainstreaming of the terrorism.”
“What is happening in the so-called ‘ishtimaah’ (congregation) of the JuD. I think I would describe it as nothing short of mainstreaming of terrorism. This was an event which took place in national monument in Pakistan. It was an event (for which) large number of police personnel were deployed. The event which was advertised all over Pakistan.
“And it was an event by an organisation which is proscribed not only by India but the US, the UK, Australia and the UN… Also it was addressed by an individual who is designated as a terrorist by the UN Securitry Council…These sought of facilities are provided to the designated terrorist organisation or a designated terrorist entity.
“This is nothing short of mainstreaming a terrorist entity and a terrorist who is designated all over the world,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.
Observing that there were reports that even train services were provided for this organisation and entity, the Spokesperson said obviously, it means blatant disregard for global norms involving terrorism.
He was asked about India’s position on the terror attacks being carried out in Kashmir and the two-day convention, starting yesterday, by Saeed-led JuD in Lahore.
Outlawed Saeed, who orchestrated the November, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 166 people were killed, addressed a public rally at the ground of historical monument Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore spewing venom on India and the US.
Saeed, who roams around freely in Pakistan despite being a designated terrorist, said the “Pakistanis and Kashmiris are blood brothers and they cannot be separated…..Efforts are being made to declare Jihad terrorism.”
The United Nations declared JuD a terrorist organization in December 2008 as also Saeed who was also individually designated by the United Nations under UNSCR 1267 in December 2008. The Resolution entails freezing of funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities and prevent the entry into or transit through their territories by designated individuals.
But Saeed, who also has a US bounty of 10 million dollars on him, roams free in Pakistan and often addresses public rallies in which he routinely makes inflammatory statements.
Pakistan has said that there is no case against Hafiz Saeed and that he is free to move in the country as a Pakistani national. (PTI)
