Amid uproar in India over underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s whereabouts, Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Monday denied all charges that the global terrorist is staying in his country.
Addressing Indian media at an event organised by UP Press Club in Lucknow, Basit said that those involved in 2008 Mumbai attacks are being tried in Pakistan.
“We arrested seven people in 2008 Mumbai attacks. They are being tried. Pakistan is seriously pursuing the matter. If you don’t trust our judicial system it won’t help. It’s a legal process and we should let law take its course,” said Basit.
However, Basit’s statement stroked a controversy when he referred to the underworld don as ‘Sahab’.
“Iske baare mein yahi keh sakta hun ki wo ‘sahab’ Pakistan mein nhi hain. Iss se zyada kya kahun? (I can only say that ‘Sahab’ is not in Pakistan. I can’t say anything more on this.)
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that 1993 Mumbai blasts mastermind Dawood Ibrahim is in Pakistan and that India is determined to bring him back.
“India has credible information of Dawood Ibrahim being in Pakistan,” he said while making a statement in Lok Sabha.
Rajnath added, “India will pursue and pressurise Pakistan in tracking Dawood and will leave no stone unturned to bring him back.”
While speaking in the Lok Sabha, Rajnath said that a Red Corner notice has been issued against Dawood by Interpol and Pakistan is obligated to find him.
He launched an attack on Pakistan and said that despite India submitting all relevant documents on Dawood Ibrahim to Pakistan, the neighbouring country has failed to trace the underworld don.
India has provided Pakistan the details of his Pakistani passports and reported addresses there from time to time, asking it to locate and hand him over to it.