Pakistan formally disowned Tahawwur Rana, the Pakistani-Canadian militant on trial for alleged roles in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks that killed 166. The extradition process, years of diplomatic and legal work in the making, is finally paying off with Rana’s arrival in Delhi late on Thursday.

Pakistan Announces Tahawwur Rana to be a Canadian National

As India makes preparations for his extradition, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement stating that Rana is no longer a Pakistani citizen. Ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan stated that Rana had not renewed his Pakistani papers for more than 20 years and did not reapply for citizenship after he moved to Canada.

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“Tahawwur Rana has not renewed his Pakistani documents for over two decades. His Canadian nationality is very clear,” Khan said during a press conference in Islamabad.

This move is being seen as a calculated distancing by Pakistan, especially as pressure mounts internationally over its alleged role in harbouring terrorists involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

Who Is Tahawwur Rana?

Tahawwur Rana, a 64-year-old doctor and entrepreneur, has been accused of connections to Pakistan’s Army, its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and the outlawed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, which carried out the Mumbai attacks. He was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Chicago in October 2009 on charges of giving material support to terrorists. He was subsequently convicted in an American court.

Arrival in India and Security Arrangements

Rana will be flown to the Palam Air Force base in Delhi in a military jet from the US. India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) will immediately arrest him once he arrives and transfer him to a special high-security cell in Tihar Jail in Delhi under high-security.

He will initially be produced in a Delhi court and subsequently shifted to Mumbai for further questioning and legal proceedings. Special security arrangements have been made because of the high-risk character of the case.

Charges and Legal Battle

Rana has been charged with criminal conspiracy, murder, forgery, and waging war against the country in India. Intelligence officials are convinced he assisted Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley with reconnaissance missions before the Mumbai attacks.

Headley, now in prison in the US, reaffirmed that Rana had provided both financial and logistical assistance in the planning process.

Congress Credits UPA for Initiating Extradition

While the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being credited with the diplomatic success, the Congress party too has intervened to stake its claim in having initiated the extradition.

The extradition is the culmination of a fifteen-year effort of careful diplomatic, legal, and intelligence work which has been started, spearheaded, and continued by the (Congress-led) UPA government, in cooperation with the US,” said P Chidambaram, who was the Union Home Minister during the 26/11 attacks.

Background: The 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attacks

The 26/11 attacks were among the deadliest terror attacks in Indian territory. Ten terrorists were armed to the teeth and struck Mumbai landmarks like hotels, a train station, and a Jewish community center. Just one terrorist, Ajmal Kasab, was caught alive and subsequently put to death in November 2012.

Rana’s extradition is a major milestone in India’s quest for justice for the victims of that ghastly attack and puts the focus back on Pakistan’s claimed complicity and obfuscation.