Exposing yet again Pakistan’s lies on cross-border terrorism, its former National Security Adviser (NSA) Mahmud Ali Durrani said on Monday that the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks were indeed carried out by a terror-group based in Pakistan while terming it a classic example of trans-border terrorism. He, however, denied Pak Government or its spy agency ISI’s role in the attacks.
“The attacks in Mumbai were carried out by terrorists based in Pakistan.The 26/11 is a classic case of trans-border terrorist event. I hate to admit but this is true… But I am 110 per cent sure that neither the Pak government nor ISI had any role in this,” Durrani said while speaking at the Asian Security Conference on ‘Combating Terrorism: Evolving an Asian Response’ organised by the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA).
Durrani’s statement will further boost India’s assertions at international forums where Pak pretends to be innocent. Pakistan has also been dragging its feet on the 26/11 attack trial case taking place in its courts and has been demanding ‘material evidence’ from India to move further in this case. Durrani, incidentally, was sacked in 2009 for acknowledging the fact that one of the terrorists caught alive by Indian security forces - Ajmal Kasab - was a Pakistani.
Interestingly, speaking at the same forum NIA SP, Atul Goel, claimed that Pak-based terror groups finance terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir by generating millions in donations through their charity organisations.
According to Goel, Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), a charity run by terror outfits JuD, leT, and Al Rehmat Trust, backed by JeM, have been supporting terrorists and funding terrorism in Kashmir.
Goel added that they have a video in which two persons are seen soliciting funds from people outside a mosque in Karachi in the presence of Pakistani Rangers. These groups organise special campaigns during natural disasters and festivals and solicit money, he said.
Afghanistan’s NSA Mohammad Hanif Atmar too hit out at Pakistan for promoting violence in his country and urged countries to unite in designating people supporting terror.
“We often hear from the international community that it is difficult to designate a state as sponsor of terrorism as there are many implications. If we do not have the courage to designate a state, then let’s designate individuals who are sponsoring terror and hiding behind the State. let’s hold them accountable for supporting terror. We share the region with Pakistan which has the highest concentration of terrorists anywhere. We consider leT, JeM enemies. We hope that Pakistan will never allow them sanctuaries,” Atmar said.
He added that after Pakistan’s crack down on terrorist in its soil, the Af-Pak region has become the highest concentration of organised terrorists anywhere in the world.
Delivering the inaugural address at the Conference, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar described terrorism as a ‘transnational threat’ and sought a holistic approach to combat terrorism.