Pakistan knows it all, yet ‘not being sincere’ on 26/11, says India

New Delhi: Taking cognizance of media reports about Pakistan’s Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) releasing an updated ‘book on Most Wanted / High Profile Terrorists’, India on Thursday, November 12 said the list makes it clear that Islamabad “possesses all the necessary information and evidence” on the conspirators and facilitators of the Mumbai terror attack based in that country.

“It is a fact that the 26/11 terror attack was planned, executed and launched from Pakistan’s territory,” MEA spokesman Anurag Srivastava told reporters here.

He said: “We have seen media reports in Pakistan about FIA releasing an updated ‘book on Most Wanted / High Profile Terrorists’ listing several Pakistani nationals involved in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. While the list includes a select few members of the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, an UN-designated terror entity based in Pakistan, including the crew members of the boats used to execute the 26/11 attack, it glaringly omits the mastermind and key conspirators of the heinous terror attack”.

The MEA spokesman said, “The Government of India has repeatedly called on the Government of Pakistan to give up its obfuscation and dilatory tactics in discharging its international obligations in the Mumbai terror attacks trial”.

“Several other countries have also called upon Pakistan to expeditiously bring the perpetrators of the dastardly terror attacks to justice. It is a matter of serious concern that, despite its public acknowledgement as well as the availability of all necessary evidence, including that shared by India, Pakistan is yet to show sincerity in delivering justice to the families of 166 victims from 15 countries across the globe, even as we near the 12th anniversary of 26/11 attacks,” he said.

The dastardly terror siege of Mumbai city had taken place on November 26 in 2008.

Media reports said that Pakistan’s top investigative authority, the FIA has identified Muhammad Amjad Khan of Multan who was involved in the purchase of the boat Al Fouz involved in the 2008 terror attack. Muhammad Amjad Khan has been listed in the over 880-page long list.

Amjad, according to reports, also purchased a Yamaha Motorboat engine, life jackets, inflatable boats from ARZ water sport, Karachi, later used in the attacks on India’s financial centre.

The list also mentions 9 crew members of the boats used in the Mumbai terror attack.

They are Muhammad Usman from Sahiwal district, Ateeq-Ur-Rehman from Lahore district, Riaz Ahmad from Hafizabad, Muhammad Mushtaq from Gujranwala district, Muhammad Naeem from Dera Ghazi Khan district, Abdul Shakoor from Sargodha district, Muhammad Sabir from Multan, Muhammad Usman from Lodhran district, Shakil Ahmad from Rahim Yar Khan district. All are members of the UN listed terror group Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, reports said.

Meanwhile, answering a question, MEA spokesman expressed concern on the conditions of minorities in Pakistan.

“We have seen media reports of an 82-year-old Ahmadi man believed to have been shot and killed by some gunmen, apparently because of his faith, in Peshawar. This is, unfortunately, a sad reflection of the state of minorities in Pakistan,” Anurag Srivastava said.

He also said: “Over a period of time, we have seen the space for people from the minority community to practise their religion shrink continuously. Besides, their condition remains deplorable”. India has been consistently raising the issue of the safety, security and well-being of minority communities with the Government of Pakistan, he said.