Islamabad: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has for the first time publicly admitted that Pakistani terrorists were involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, while questioning why Ajmal Kasab and nine others “were allowed to cross the border” to carry out the carnage in 2008.
“It’s absolutely unacceptable (not acting against non-state actors who carry out terror attacks in India). This is exactly what we are struggling for. President Putin has said it. President Xi has said it,” Sharif said in an interview to leading daily Dawn.
The former prime minister focused on the complicity of Pakistan in the 26/11terror assault on India’s financial capital by side-stepping a question on what according to him was the reason for his ouster from public office. He steered the conversation towards foreign policy and national security.
“Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Why can’t we complete the trial?” the former PM asked. Although he chose to describe Kasab and others as “non-state actors”, he also seemed to acknowledge the complicity of government agencies in letting the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists reach Mumbai. Kasab and his fellow Lashkar jihadis had set out from Karachi after they were rigorously trained by Lashkar handlers who included at least two serving officers of the Pakistan army.
Sharif also stressed that the country had “isolated” itself in the international community by not acting against terror organisations. “We have isolated ourselves. Despite giving sacrifices, our narrative is not being accepted. Afghanistan's narrative is being accepted, but ours is not. We must look into it,” Sharif said.
A Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) stalwart said that when Sharif became PM for the third time in 2013, he was determined to minimize the army’s role in Pakistan’s foreign affairs but had to give up at every step due to the pressure exerted from “hidden quarters”, a euphemism for the military establishment. Keeping the portfolio of foreign minister with himself, the PM was determined to run an independent foreign policy, free from the clutches of the establishment. “But it didn’t work and it backfired,” Sharif’s close aide said.
NSC to meet over Sharif ’s admission
A top-level government source said Pakistan’s civilian and military leaderships is expected to take place over Sharif’s admission. Sources privy to the development said a meeting of the National Security Committee, Pakistan’s highest forum, headed by the PM and mandated to consider national security and foreign policy matters, is likely to take place within the next few days.
Sharif’s remarks have sparked a debate in Pakistan with his opponents criticising him for toeing the Indian line while many praised him on social media for having the courage to speak the truth. Sherry Rehman, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senator and leader of the opposition in the Senate, slammed Sharif, saying the former PM had backed PM Narendra Modi’s stance and compromised Pakistan’s narrative in the war against terrorism.
