'Mainstreaming of radical terrorist outfits has been a part of Pakistan's policy for a long': MEA

India has conveyed a request along with relevant supporting documents to the Govt of Pakistan to extradite 26/11 mastermind HAfiz Saeed to India to face trial in a particular case.

New Delhi:India on Friday slammed Pakistan saying mainstreaming of radical terrorist outfits has been a part of the state policy for a long time. This comes as 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed's political party Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) will be a part of Pakistan's general election in 2024. Saeed's son Talha Saeed will contest the polls from the National Assembly’s constituency NA-127 in Lahore.

Reacting to the development, India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “The issue of radical elements has been normalized in Pakistan. Participating in the election is something I will not comment on as it is an internal matter. But the mainstreaming of radical terrorist outfits in Pakistan is nothing new and has been a part of the state policy for a long time ...such developments have serious implications for the security of our region. On our part, we will continue to make statements that imply our national security”.

PMML's central president Khalid Masood Sindhu is also taking part in NA-130, against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Meanwhile, India has conveyed a request along with relevant supporting documents to the Govt of Pakistan to extradite 26/11 mastermind HAfiz Saeed to India to face trial in a particular case..”

"We have been flagging the issue of activities that he has been wanted for ... Yes, there has been a request sent recently, to face a trial in a particular case”, MEA spox Arindam Bagchi said during the presser today.

Earlier, Muhammad Hafiz Saeed, who has been in jail since July 17, 2019, for other charges, was sentenced in April 2022 by a special anti-terrorism court in Lahore, to a jail term of 33 years for "financing terrorism." According to the Home Ministry, he is a designated terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, who has been actively involved in recruitment, fund collection, planning, and executing attacks by LeT in India.

In 2019, Talha Saeed hit headlines following a failed assassination attempt that left a LeT supporter dead and seven others injured. He was supposed to speak at a religious gathering at a refrigerator store in Lahore when an explosion took place, but escaped with injuries.

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