NEW DELHI – Indian Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday dubbed asa “serious disclosure” Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharifacknowledging that militant organisations were active in his country andsaid it proved India’s position that the handlers of 26/11 Mumbai terrorattack were in Pakistan.
Sharif also questioned Pakistan’s policy to allow the “non-state actors” tocross the border and “kill” people in Mumbai, according to a media report.
“Well, it is very serious disclosure. India’s position has been that themastermind of the Mumbai terror attack operated from Pakistan. We stronglybelieve that the handlers of the attack were in Pakistan,” Sitharaman tolda press conference in New Delhi, in response to a query.
“It (Sharif’s remarks) only proves that India’s stand has been right allthe way,” she said.
Sharif, who has been disqualified to hold public office for life by hiscountry’s Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case, said Pakistan hasisolated itself.
“We have isolated ourselves. Despite giving sacrifices, our narrative isnot being accepted. Afghanistan’s narrative is being accepted, but ours isnot. We must look into it,” Sharif had told Dawn.
Without naming Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and Maulana MasoodAzhar’s militant organisations — Jamaat-ud-Dawah and Jaish-e-Mohammad, –operating in the country with impunity, Sharif said, “Militantorganisations are active in Pakistan.”