Top civil-military body rejects Nawaz's controversial statement on Mumbai attacks
- By Web Desk -
- May 14, 2018
ISLAMABAD: The National Security Committee (NSC), the country’s top civil-military body, on Monday unanimously rejected the recent controversial statement of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif about alleged Pakistan’s role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, terming it incorrect and misleading.
A crucial meeting of the NSC was held in Islamabad with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the chair to discuss the situation arising out of the PML-N supreme leader’s remarks.
According to a statement put out after the meeting, the Committee unanimously condemned and rejected the statement of the former premier on the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.
It termed Sharif’s assertions “incorrect and misleading.”
The top civil-military body clarified India, not Pakistan is responsible for a probe into the Mumbai attacks. Besides, India didn’t provide any evidence to Pakistan, delaying conclusion of the Mumbai attacks trial in Pakistan.
The participants of the meeting said they reject the PML-N Quaid’s fallacious assertions, which negated the truth.
“India on a number of occasions refused to extend cooperation in connection with the probe nor did it provide access to the key suspect behind the attacks.” “Ajmal Kasab’s execution in a hurried manner is the main reason behind the case still pending disposal.”
The NSC said Pakistan also awaits cooperation on the matters of Samjhauta Express and Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav.
Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Director General ISI Lieutenant Generl Naveed Mukhtar and senior civil as well military officials attended the meeting.
“NSC meeting suggested to Prime Minister (Shahid Khaqan Abbasi) to discuss recent misleading media statement regarding Bombay incident. Being held tomorrow morning,” said Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor in a tweet on Sunday.
The PML-N supreme leader’s statement about the November 2008 Mumbai attacks in an interview to a local newspaper has triggered a storm of criticism from people of all social strata, especially politicos.
Not only opposition parties, including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehree-i-Insaf (PTI), launched a frontal attack on Sharif after his statement made headlines at home and abroad, but also leaders belonging to the ruling PML-N didn’t endorse his statement.
PML-N president and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif a day earlier denied that his elder brother had given any such statement, saying the statement was incorrectly attributed to him.
The PML-N lifelong supreme leader, in an interview with a leading English daily, said that “militant organisations are active” in Pakistan and asked the interviewer if the state should allow them to go across the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai.
Sharif, who was answering a question about his ouster, steered the conversation towards foreign policy and national security by saying that Pakistan has isolated itself in international arena despite giving sacrifices in war on terror.