India must ask Pakistan for extradition of Dawood and others terrorists: Activist

Human rights activist and journalist Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza has asked the Indian government to start extradition process of some of the dreaded terrorists who were sanctioned by Pakistan.

On August 18, the Pakistan government issued two notifications announcing sanctions on key leaders of terror outfits. They include 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Dawood Ibrahim, who heads a vast illegal business, emerged as India’s most wanted terrorist after the 1993 Mumbai blasts which killed nearly 250 people.

“The most important name is that of Dawood Ibrahim, who is known as the mastermind of serial blasts in Mumbai in 1993. More than 250 people were killed and over 700 people got injured. These terrorists are in Pakistan and we are also aware of this,” Dr Mirza, a journalist hailing from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) said.

He added that presence of Dawood Ibrahim in Pakistan’s Karachi city was revealed by media several times but it has now been officially declared by Islamabad in the list of sanctions.

“India must start process of extradition of Dawood Ibrahim after Pakistan has accepted about his presence in the country. He should be brought to India along with others and action must be taken against them legally. Masood Azhar, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Hafiz Saeed should also be handed over to India because they are involved in terror incidents in India”, said Dr Mirza.

“They have committed heinous crimes against the people of India. If Pakistan wants to prove that it is fighting against terrorism then these dreaded terrorists should be handed over to India and be punished as per the law”.

Financial Action Task Force (FATF) put Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018 and asked Islamabad to implement a plan of action by the end of 2019, but the deadline was extended later due to COVID-19 pandemic.

“If Pakistan fails to hand over these terrorists to India and not handover compensation to terror victims in India, then it is clear that this list of terrorists by Pakistan is just to impress the FATF”, said Dr Mirza.