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NSC statement says it is not Pakistan, but India that has delayed the finalisation of the Mumbai attacks case
- Pakistan continues to await cooperation from India regarding Kulbushan Jhadav and Samjhota attack cases
ISLAMABAD: The National Security Committee (NSC) on Monday categorically rejected former premier Nawaz Sharif’s recent remarks on the 2008 Mumbai attacks, unanimously terming them “completely false and misleading”.
The NSC, which was presided by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, said in a press statement that the country’s top civil and military leadership had conducted a detailed review of Nawaz’s statement printed in a newspaper interview on Saturday.
“The meeting reviewed the recent statement in the context of Mumbai attacks… and unanimously termed this statement as incorrect and misleading,” said a statement issued after the meeting.
“The participants observed that it was very unfortunate that the opinion arising out of either misconceptions or grievances was being presented in disregard of concrete facts and realities. The participants unanimously rejected the allegations and condemned the fallacious assertions.”
According to the handout, it was recalled during the meeting that the delay in conclusion of Mumbai attack case was caused by India, not Pakistan.
It also stated that India denied Pakistani investigators access to Ajmal Kasab, the convicted Mumbai attacker who was hanged by India.
Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to await cooperation from India regarding the arrest of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav and the Samjhota Express attack, the handout further said.
The top brass of the military, including Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat and Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar attended the meeting, held at Prime Minister’s House.
Moreover, the chiefs of the navy and air force also attended the meeting, as did directors general of military operations and military intelligence.
On the other hand, Defence Minister and acting Foreign Minister Khurram Dastgir was also a part of the meeting along with other top civil officials of the government.
In a rare occurrence, Leader of the Opposition Khursheed Shah, was also summoned to the meeting in a special request by the army chief, as opposition leader isn’t part of the official NSC panel. However, he did not show up in the meeting.
The meeting lasted approximately for two and half hours. The PM took Nawaz into confidence before issuing the official NSC presser.
The meeting was called over remarks made by Nawaz regarding the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
The convening of the meeting was announced by the military’s media wing on Sunday evening.
“(The) NSC meeting suggested to (the) prime minister to discuss recent misleading media statement regarding Bombay (Mumbai) incident. Being held tomorrow (Monday) morning,” Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor had shared through his official account on Twitter.
PM Abbasi had also postponed the federal cabinet and Council of Common Interest (CCI) meetings due to the NSC meeting. The meetings of federal cabinet and CCI are likely to be convened in next week.
Nawaz, in a recent interview to a leading English Daily, had said, “Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Why can’t we complete the trial?”
His remarks were played up by the Indian media as an “admission” of Pakistan’s involvement in the terrorist attacks.
