Indian Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has asked Pakistan to follow the advice of the US and UK, and handover Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, to New Delhi.
The US and the UK had reportedly asked Pakistan to either handover Lakhvi to India to improve bilateral ties, or to conduct a credible and independent trial.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed to crush all militants after the deaths of 132 school children, and nine members of school staff, in Peshawar city. Rijiju feels that Pakistan needs to demonstrate that it is serious about doing so.
“It is good [advice] and Pakistan should follow it. If they (Pakistan) want to fight terrorism, it should also show,” he said. He further added that if the US and the UK were asking Pakistan to handover Lakhvi then it was obvious that they thought the country is doing wrong things.
Lakhvi was arrested in Pakistan in 2009 in connection with the attack on Mumbai by Pakistani militants. The attack left 166 people dead, while the sole surviving gunman identified Lakhvi as the mastermind.
The Congress Party called Lakhvi “monstrous to humanity”.
“Lakhvi will bite the hand that feeds him. Pakistan will realise it sooner or later. The UK and the US, with some delay, have only echoed what India has been saying from day one. These are persons who will always be monstrous to the humanity,” said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
India blamed Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba for the Mumbai attack.