Face of Nation : Pakistan’s filing of terror charges against Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed and the assurance of his arrest is a “cosmetic step” and Islamabad is not doing enough to control terrorists acting from the country, the Centre said today. Hafiz Saeed, the chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba and the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack, has been getting a free run in Pakistan even after India provided Pakistan with the evidence.
Yesterday, following sustained international pressure, they were charged with multiple offences of terror financing and money laundering in a First Information Report filed by the Counter Terrorism Department of Pakistan’s Punjab Police.
“Pakistan’s sincerity to take action against terror groups will be on their basis to demonstrate verifiable action, not on the basis of half-hearted steps to hoodwink international community,” the foreign ministry said hours after Pakistan police assured that Hafiz Saeed and 12 of his close aides will be arrested “very soon”.
Asked why the men have not yet been arrested, Punjab police spokesperson Niyab Haider Naqvi said the filing of a First Information Report is a first step. “Saeed and others nominated in the FIRs will also be arrested subsequently,” he added.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Pakistan claims to take action. “But when it comes to people we want action against, you (Pakistan) go in denial mode. You try to project to international community. This is case of double standards,” he added.
