ISLAMABAD : The National Security Committee (NSC) has categorically deniedformer premier Nawaz Sharif’s recent statement on the 2008 Mumbai attacksand unanimously termed it “completely false and misleading”.
The NSC, which met under the chair of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasion Monday, said in its statement that the country’s top civil and militaryleadership conducted a detailed review of Nawaz’s statement printed in anewspaper interview on Saturday.
The NSC said it was unfortunate and regrettable that concrete evidence andfacts were ignored in the statement.
It also stated that India denied Pakistani investigators access to AjmalKasab, the convicted attacker who was hanged by India.
The statement said that Kasab’s rushed hanging by India impeded theinvestigation of the case, adding that India repeatedly denied assistancein the probe while there was complete cooperation from Pakistan.
“Pakistan will continue its efforts to eliminate terrorism on all fronts,”it was stated further.
The top brass of the military, including Chief of Army Staff General QamarJaved Bajwa, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General ZubairMahmood Hayat and Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lt GenNaveed Mukhtar attended the meeting, held at the PM House.
Moreover, the chiefs of the navy and air force also attended the meeting,as did directors general of military operations and military intelligence.
On the other hand, Defence Minister and acting foreign minister KhurramDastgir was also a part of the meeting along with other top civil officialsof the government.
The meeting was called over remarks made by Nawaz regarding the terroristattacks in Mumbai.
Sources said the participants were briefed on Pakistan’s investigations andcooperation following the 2008 attacks in Mumbai.
Nawaz, in a recent interview to Dawn newspaper, had said, “Militantorganisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow themto cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Whycan’t we complete the trial?”
His remarks were played up by the Indian media as an admission ofPakistan’s involvement in the terrorist attacks, even though similarquestions and statements have been raised from civilian and securityofficials in Pakistan earlier.