Imran Khan admits 2008 Mumbai attacks were led by Pak-based LeT; Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat says knew it
Khan acknowledged that the attacks were 'an act of terrorism'.
Written By:
Zee Media Bureau
Updated:
Dec 08, 2018, 14:57 PM IST
Trending News
NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan admitted to international media that banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba, led by Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, was behind the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Acknowledging that the attacks were “an act of terrorism”, Khan said he's asked his government find out the status of the case.
During an interview to American daily
The Washinton Post, journalist Lally Weymouth asked Khan, “India really wants to see the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai bombing prosecuted. The mastermind, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, a leader of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, was released on bail in Pakistan while a nine-year trial has dragged on for six other suspects, with no results.”
To this Khan
responded, “We also want something done about the bombers of Mumbai. I have asked our government to find out the status of the case. Resolving that case is in our interest because it was an act of terrorism.”
Referring to the recently opened Kartarpur corridor, the cricketer-turned-politician added, “I have opened a visa-free peace corridor with India called Kartarpur [so that Indian Sikhs can visit a holy shrine in Pakistan]. Let’s hope that after the election is over, we can again resume talks with India.”
Responding to Khan's comment, Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat said, “We know who did it. I don't think we have to get anymore statement from anybody. International community knows who did it. Acceptance is good but even without it, we knew who had done it.”
Amid growing demands from the Trump administration to do more to combat terrorism emanating from its soil, Khan said he would not allow Pakistan to be treated like a "hired gun" to fight someone else's war.
The ties between Washington and Islamabad strained, especially after President Donald Trump, while announcing his Afghanistan and South Asia policy in August last year, hit out at Pakistan for providing safe havens to "agents of chaos" that kill Americans in Afghanistan.
In May this year, former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif had
admitted that Pakistan-based terror outfits were responsible for 2008 Mumbai blasts.
Speaking in an interview to Pakistan media
Dawn, Sharif said, "Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross-border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Why can't we complete trial?"
As many as 10 heavily-armed Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists forced their way into the city of Mumbai on November 26, 2008 and carried out coordinated shooting and bombing. The assault on the financial capital of India lasted until November 29.
http://zeenews.india.com/india/2008...y-chief-bipin-rawat-says-knew-it-2161887.html
2016 Surgical strike overhyped and politicised: Retired Lieutenant General D S Hooda
Hooda was the Northern Army commander when the surgical strikes were carried out on September 29, 2016.
Written By:
Zee Media Bureau
Updated:
Dec 08, 2018, 09:19 AM IST
Trending News
CHANDIGARH: Retired Indian Army Lieutenant General D S Hooda on Friday claimed that there was too much hype over the 2016 surgical strikes.
“I do think there was too much hype over it (surgical strike). The strike was important and we had to do it,” said Hooda while speaking at a panel discussion on 'Role of Cross-Border Operations and Surgical Strikes' on the first day of Military Literature Festival (MLF) 2018 in Chandigarh.
“Now how much should it have been politicised, whether it was right or wrong is something that should be asked to the politicians,” he added.
#WATCH: Lt Gen (retd) DS Hooda, who was Chief of the Northern Command of the Army when surgical strike was executed in 2016, says "Surgical strike was overhyped & politicised."
https://t.co/P8r8QBd3pL
— ANI (
@ani)
December 8, 2018
Hooda was the Northern Army commander when the surgical strikes were carried out on September 29, 2016, across the Line of Control (LoC) as a response to a terrorist attack in Uri earlier that month.
The retired Lieutenant General added that it was natural to have initial euphoria about the success but the constant 'maintenance of hype around the military operations was' unwarranted, the release said.
In hindsight, he added, it would have been better had we done it (surgical strikes) secretly.
“People should know the history and the literature associated with their country`s military. These kind of festivals are extremely important as the general public gets exposure to interact army and military, usually, their interaction is quite limited. You see, there is secrecy around the military. These are venues were civilians and army can interact and understand their viewpoints better,” said Hooda.
With agency inputs
http://zeenews.india.com/india/surg...red-lieutenant-general-d-s-hooda-2161836.html
People on both sides may be in denial but the peace process is continuing.
See the statements from both sides above.
