'Kasab was a pawn, punish those behind him'

The sole surviving gunman from the 2008 Mumbai attacks was executed Wednesday, nearly four years after 166 people were killed in a three-day rampage through India s financial capital. Although the survivors and the victims' families would have express happiness over the hanging of Muhammad Ajmal Kasab, Marvi Sirmed, a Pakistani human right activist, says that it will make no difference until those who supported Kasab during Mumbai carnage are not punished.

Sirmed told rediff.com, "He was mere a mohra (pawn); the network is still present, so it will make no difference."

Sirmed is an outspoken human right activists and she is known for her work on minorities' rights. She was attacked recently by unknown persons in Islamabad but it did not deter her from her activities. She is happy over the punishment of Kasab and said that punishing a terrorist is nothing wrong. "No only me but all the Pakistan people should be happy over the punishment, as this man (Kasab) brought a bad name to the country."

"He maligned the country; his acts gave a wrong message to rest of the world that Pakistani is producing terrorists. As he has earned disrepute to Pakistan so it was the desire of Pakistani to see him punished," said Sirmed.

According to Marvi, all the people behind Kasab should be brought into justice and they should be punished. "The Pakistan army and establishment should work hard to nab all people who are bringing disrepute to the country."

According to Marvi, "If our government awards severe punishment to the people who are disturbing peace in the region, such activities will automatically decline."

Responding to a question about the fate of those detainees who were arrested by Pakistan after the Mumbai carnage, she said, "It is the duty of the government and establishment to transparently look to the case. The investigation should be done under Pakistan's agencies plus the documents produced by the Indian government and the revelations of David Headley, who was arrested in the US."