Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 17: In a strong rebuttal to Pakistan’s attempts to distance itself from Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, India has asserted that no amount of denial can erase Pakistan's well-established image as the epicentre of global terrorism.
Responding to Islamabad’s claim that Rana should not be regarded as a Pakistani national, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said during a media briefing on Thursday, “Pakistan may try very hard, but its reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism will not diminish.”
The sharp statement follows Pakistan’s effort to disown Rana after his successful extradition from the United States to India last week. Pakistan's Foreign Office (PFO) had released a statement claiming Rana hadn't renewed his Pakistani-origin documents in over two decades and should therefore be treated only as a Canadian citizen.
India, however, sees this as yet another evasion tactic by Islamabad to avoid accountability for harbouring terrorists involved in attacks on Indian soil.
“Rana’s extradition serves as a stern reminder to Pakistan — it must act decisively and bring to justice the remaining perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, many of whom are still being sheltered there,” Jaiswal added.
Rana, 64, has been indicted on multiple charges including criminal conspiracy, waging war against India, murder, forgery, and serious violations under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). He is accused of working closely with David Coleman Headley (also known as Daood Gilani), a key scout for the Mumbai attacks, and maintaining connections with Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI, as well as designated terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI).
The coordinated attacks on Mumbai in November 2008 left 166 people dead and over 230 injured, marking one of the deadliest terror strikes in Indian history.
Facing renewed international scrutiny, Pakistan has launched efforts to disassociate from Rana, hoping to contain diplomatic fallout. During an April 10 press briefing, Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, spokesperson for the PFO, reiterated, “As far as our record indicates, he did not even apply for renewal of his Pakistani documents for the last 20 years. We maintain our position on his Canadian nationality.”
However, New Delhi remains steadfast in holding Pakistan morally and strategically accountable, pointing to a long-standing pattern of sheltering and denying responsibility for terrorist actors operating from its soil.
India has called on the global community to recognize and respond to Pakistan’s persistent inaction, emphasizing the urgent need for concrete steps against terrorism in the region.