NEWS

Deport Salahuddin, Dawood, India to Pak

Source:PTI
July 21, 2006 21:02 IST

Unimpressed by President Pervez Musharraf's conditional offer to fight terror jointly, India on Friday asked Pakistan to deport Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin and international terrorist Dawood Ibrahim saying sustenance of the dialogue process depends on practical action by Islamabad.

It also asked Islamabad to ban Jamat-ud-Dawa, political organisation of Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist outfit, and arrest its leaders immediately.

India is "disappointed" at Islamabad's "continuing denial of the presence of and failure to take action against jihadi groups threatening and operating against India from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters in New Delhi.

He was reacting to Musharraf's comments in a televised address on Thursday night that his country will cooperate in the probe into the Mumbai blasts if India provided evidence about Pakistan's link.

"If they (Pakistan) really want to convince the people of India that they are willing to work together with India against terrorism then they have to take some action immediately and they can," Sarna said.

"For example, the self-styled chief of the Hizbul Mujahideen Syed Salahuddin, who is freely roaming in Pakistan and PoK and has appeared on the same stage as many ministers of the federal government of Pakistan, should be arrested and handed over to India," he said.

Referring to Jamat-ud-Dawa outfit, Sarna said Pakistan, instead of saying the organisation is being kept under close watch, should ban it and arrest its leaders.

Jamat-ud-Dawa portrays itself as a social organisation although it is headed by Hafiz Mohammad Sayeed, chief of LeT terrorist outfit.

"Besides, Dawood Ibrahim, who has been listed by the UN Security Council's 1267 Committee as an individual associated with Al Qaeda, should be arrested and deported to India," the spokesman said in a strong reaction to Musharraf's comments.

Sarna said if Pakistan takes action to implement the "directives" of UN Security Council, "then it will give credibility to its claim that it is willing to fight terror."

The MEA spokesman said Musharraf's claim that 'provide us evidence and we will cooperate' in Mumbai blasts probe gives India "no cause for satisfaction because in the past when we have provided evidence, there has been no practical action on Pakistan's part."

Most recently, on May 31, at the home secretary-level talks, India provided "quite substantial evidence" to Pakistan about the presence of terrorist groups and fugitives on its territory, he said.

"Nevertheless, in view of President Musharraf's assurance, we will continue to provide Pakistani authorities all available evidence and we will await practical action on their part," he said.

Source: PTI
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