Slamming Islamabad's attempts to distance itself from Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the mastermind of the deadly 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, India on Thursday said that no matter how hard Pakistan tries, its reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism will not diminish.
Soon after Rana was successfully extradited to India from the United States last week, the Pakistan Foreign Office (PFO) had stated that the Mumbai attacks plotter has not renewed his Pakistani-origin documents for the last two decades and should be treated only as a Canadian national.
"Pakistan may try very hard, but its reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism will not diminish," said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) at a regular media briefing on Thursday.
"The extradition of Rana is a reminder yet again to Pakistan that it needs to act, to bring to justice other perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks, whom it continues to shield," he added.
Rana is believed to have had close ties with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and is accused of conspiring with David Coleman Headley, or Daood Gilani, and operatives of designated terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI) along with other Pakistan-based co conspirators, to carry out the devastating terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008. A total of 166 persons were killed and over 238 were injured in the deadly attacks.
Charges against 64-year-old Rana include criminal conspiracy, waging war against India, murder, forgery, and violations under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Facing global ignominy yet again, Pakistan began making unsuccessful attempts to de-link itself from Rana - convicted in the US for his links to Lashkar-e-Taiba - soon after his extradition to India.
"On the Tahawwur Rana issue, we have conveyed our position regarding his Canadian nationality. As far as our record indicates, he did not even apply for renewal for his Pakistani origin documents for the last two decades. I reiterate that position," said Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, spokesperson for the Pakistan Foreign Office (PFO), during a weekly press briefing in Islamabad on April 10.
Drugs valued at Rs 71 crore seized in Assam; 2 held
Heroin and highly addictive methamphetamine tablets, valued at Rs 71 crore, were seized during two separate operations in Assam's Kamrup district on Friday, officials said.
One held with cannabis worth Rs 15 Lakh in Sonamura
In a major breakthrough in Tripura Police’s ongoing crackdown on narcotics, a joint team led by Sonamura Police Station seized 325 kilograms of dried cannabis (ganja) from a house in Ananda Nagar village under Sepahijala district’s Sonamura Sub-division
BJP MP launches attack on Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi over National Herald case
The BJP Yuva Morcha staged a protest against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, accused in the National Herald case, in Agartala on Friday.
Two Bangladeshi women held at Agartala Railway Station
In a coordinated operation carried out on Thursday late night, two Bangladeshi women were arrested from Agartala Railway Station for illegally entering Indian Territory with the alleged intention of travelling to Mumbai via Kolkata.
2 minors among 315 arrested so far in connection with Murshidabad violence: Bengal Police report
A total of 315 arrests have been made so far in connection with the communal violence in Murshidabad district of West Bengal over protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act last week, including two minors, confirmed the West Bengal Police in its report,
No plan to levy GST on UPI transactions over Rs 2,000: Govt
The Finance Ministry on Friday made it clear that the government is not considering any proposal to levy Goods and Services Tax (GST) on UPI transactions over Rs 2,000.
Tripura CM discusses state govt's key plans with HM Shah, JP Nadda
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday in separate meetings in New Delhi discussed important development plans of the state government with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda.
HM Amit Shah's 2026 deadline in sight as Sukma panchayat declared Maoist-free
This signalled a breakthrough in the government’s counter-insurgency and rehabilitation strategy. The mass surrender not only reflects a weakening of Maoist influence but also reaffirms HM Shah’s ambitious deadline as increasingly within reach.