'US did it, why can't Pakistan?': Indian envoy demands Hafiz Saeed's extradition
Hafiz Saeed (File photo)
NEW DELHI: India's ambassador to Israel, JP Singh, has said that
Operation Sindoor
, launched in response to crossborder terrorism from Pakistan, is only "paused" and "not over".
In an interview with Israeli news channel i24, Singh called for the formation of a global coalition against terrorism and drew parallel with the example of
Tahawwur Rana
's extradition by US. Indian envoy demanded that Pakistan should also hand over key terror figures, including LeT chief
Hafiz Saeed
, Sajid Mir, and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
Recounting the events leading up to the operation, Singh referred to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, in which 26 civilians were killed after being targeted based on their religion. He said India's response was focused specifically on terrorist groups and their infrastructure within Pakistan.
However, he added that Pakistan responded by attacking Indian military installations.
"The terrorists killed people based on their religion," Singh said. "India's operation was against terror groups and their infrastructure to which Pakistan responded by attacking India's military installations."
When asked if the ceasefire signalled an end to the conflict, Singh responded that the operation had only been paused. "The ceasefire is still holding on but we have made it very clear that Operation Sindoor is paused, it's not yet over," he said. "Wherever terrorists are, we have to kill those terrorists and we have to destroy their infrastructure."
Singh described the Indian airstrike on Pakistan's Nur Khan base on May 10 as a game changer. He claimed the strike caused panic in Pakistan and prompted its Director General of Military Operations to reach out to India seeking a ceasefire.
On the issue of the
Indus Waters Treaty
, which Pakistan has described as an act of war, Singh said that India could no longer uphold a treaty based on goodwill and friendship while facing constant terrorist attacks from across the border. He pointed out that although India continued to allow water to flow to Pakistan, the latter allowed terror to flow in the opposite direction. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's view that "blood and water cannot flow together" reflected the public's growing frustration, which led to the suspension of the treaty.
"Terror must stop," Singh said, stressing that any treaty could only function if Pakistan ended its support for terrorism. He added, "While IWT is in abeyance, another IWT is operational - Operation Sindoor is India's War Against Terrorism."
Singh named
Lashkar-e-Taiba
and
Jaish-e-Mohammad
as the two core groups behind the long list of terror attacks in India and said their leaders continue to roam freely in Pakistan. He said Pakistan could defuse tensions simply by handing over the key individuals India has long demanded.
"They need to do a very simple thing - when the preamble includes goodwill and friendship, they just need to hand over these terrorists to us," he said.
Referring again to the US example, Singh questioned why Pakistan could not follow the same path. "When the US can hand over these culprits, why can't Pakistan hand over? They have to simply hand over Hafeez Saeed, Lakhvi, Sajid Mir and things will be over," he said.
Singh dismissed Pakistan's offer to investigate the Pahalgam attack as a tactic to deflect attention. He questioned what had come of earlier investigations into the Mumbai, Pathankot, and Pulwama attacks. "We have given them dossiers after dossiers - we have given them technical inputs. America has shared with them evidence. Everything is there but what have they done?" he asked.
He mentioned that despite being named as planners and executioners of the Mumbai attack, Lakhvi and Hafiz Saeed remain at large. "So we can't believe them," he added.
Pointing out that terrorism is a global threat, Singh called for deeper cooperation among affected nations. "At an international level, all those countries including India, Israel and many other countries that face the brunt of terrorism, we need to expand our diplomatic reach, we need to cooperate, we need to form a coalition against terrorism and most importantly against the supporters of these terrorist groups."
He also added that by underlining India's unwavering position. "Our prime minister has made it very clear - very clear - that we have zero tolerance on terrorism. We are not going to accept this
cross-border terrorism
."
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