New Delhi, August 04: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha LK Advani on Tuesday slammed the government on its dealing with Pakistan and exhorted the Prime Minister to clarify government’s stance on the 26/11 accused Hafiz Saeed’s case.
Amidst an uproar in the Lower House – which resulted in its adjournment twice – over the letting off of Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai terror attacks, Advani demanded that either PM Manmohan Singh or Foreign Minister SM Krishna confirm in Parliament that what the latter had said to the media yesterday is the official policy. Advani went on to add that even Foreign Secretary level talks are futile till Pakistan acts on terror.
On Monday, Krishna while talking to a newspaper, said that talks would be useless if Pakistan did not create a “favourable” atmosphere and added that Saeed’s trial is an acid test for Pakistan.
The apparent change of government policy towards Pakistan – following the joint statement in Sharm-el-Sheikh – in the recent times has come in for severe criticism by the Opposition which accuses the government of deviating from its earlier stance of not holding talks with the Western neighbour till the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks are brought to justice.
In a fresh blow to India’s efforts to bring perpetrators of 26/11 to justice, Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing into the cases against Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed’s indefinitely.
The Pakistan SC, while taking up petitions challenging the release of Hafiz Saeed from house arrest, adjourned the hearing indefinitely after the Advocate General representing Punjab government in the case resigned.
The case’s adjournment also came in the wake of admission by top Pakistani government officials, including Interior Minister Rehman Malik, that his government had no concrete evidence to prosecute the JuD chief.
SP, RJD join NDA in slamming govt over Pak
SP and RJD today joined hands with NDA in the Lok Sabha to attack the government over Pakistan’s dilly dallying tactics on prosecution of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, saying his release has rendered Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s assurances meaningless.
Demanding an immediate response from the government on the development, members from these parties created an uproar leading to adjournment of the House for half an hour.
The issue of indefinite postponement of the hearing of Saeed, chief of Jamaat-ud Dawa outfit, by Pakistan’s Supreme Court was raised by SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav during Zero Hour. He was instantly supported by BJP, Shiv Sena, JD(U) as also RJD.
Yadav said the development, that indicates Pakistan’s lack of will to target Saeed, exposes the hollowness of Prime Minister’s statement of “trust and verify” with regard to Islamabad’s actions against terrorism.
Amid slogans like “Pradhan Mantri Jawab do (PM should reply)” by SP members, Yadav said Singh had eased pressure on Pakistan that had been built after the Mumbai attacks.
“Pakistan had been isolated after the Mumbai attacks. The world had come to realise that Pakistan is breeding ground for terrorism. But the Prime Minister has accorded it recognition at international scene,” he said.
–Agencies