MEA summons Pak diplomat, asks Islamabad to expedite trial in 26/11 case

Even as the country observed the 13th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks on Friday, India gave a strong message to Pakistan, asking it to take action to bring perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice in an expeditious manner. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned a senior diplomat of the Pakistani High Commission and handed over to him a note verbale, pressing for an expeditious trial in the case of Mumbai attack. The verbale also says that the families of 166 victims from 15 countries are still awaiting closure of the case.

In the same note verbale handed over to the diplomat, the MEA also asked Pakistan to abide by its commitment not to allow territories under its control for terrorism against India. MEA categorically told the diplomat that it was the Pakistani terrorists who perpetrated the attack in Mumbai, and even a former Prime Minister of “your country” (Pakistan) had confirmed that the terrorists were sent from the soil of Pakistan.

Sources told The Daily Guardian that MEA officials came down heavily on Pakistan in the presence of its High Commission’s diplomat, saying that Islamabad’s soft corner for terror organisations is no secret, as even state actors have been found to be harbouring and sponsoring them. “That Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed’s six aides were recently released by a Pakistani court is a proof of Islamabad’s soft corner for terrorists,” officials told the Pakistani diplomat. MEA officials told the Pakistani diplomat that it was the result of the Imran government weakening the case against Hafiz’s aides that they were released by the court. “Hafiz being in jail is a mere eyewash, as he is being given VVIP treatment there as per the intelligence report,” said a diplomat.

Sources said that apart from whatever was mentioned in the note verbale, MEA officials also apprised the Pakistan diplomat of India’s displeasure over many happenings lending credence to the fact that the government in Pakistan was least concerned about checking terrorism. “It will be a big issue to be raised by India with the various international forums including FATF,” said an official, adding that the six aides of Hafiz were in jail earlier for charges of terror funding, and now they have been released. “This will be taken seriously by the FATF, which has kept Pakistan on its grey list,” said officials.

Meanwhile, an MEA statement said, “A note verbale reiterating India’s call for an expeditious trial in the Mumbai terror attacks case, and calling on the Government of Pakistan to abide by its commitment to not allow territories under its control for terrorism against India was handed over to him. It is a matter of deep anguish that even after 13 years of this heinous terror attack, the families of 166 victims from 15 countries across the globe still await closure, with Pakistan showing little sincerity in bringing the perpetrators to justice.”

Also on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered the brave hearts who countered the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and the ones who lost their lives. “While we are commemorating ‘Samvidhan Divas’ today, we must not forget the brave hearts who countered the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and the ones who lost their lives. The brave soldiers of the country sacrificed their lives while fighting terrorists. Today I bow to those sacrifices too,” he said.