Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh says that he has informed the Centre that smuggling of weapons through drones has increased manifold
Our Bureau
New Delhi
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Delhi issued anon-bailable warrant (NBW) against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief and 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and others in a terror-funding related money laundering case in Jammu and Kashmir.
The order came after the court took cognizance of a charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). After hearing the matter, special Judge Praveen Singh issued production warrants against Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, separatist Altaf Ahmad Shah alias Funtoosh and UAE-based businessman Naval Kishore Kapoor, asking them to present before it. Watali, Shah and Kapoor are currently lodged in Tihar central jail.
The accused have allegedly established a network of cadres who were funded through Pakistani agencies via hawala dealers and other various sources, Rana told the court.
The ED had filed a case based on a separate case being probed by the NIA. Earlier, the agency has charge-sheeted various accused in the matter.
This week, Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, while speaking at the graduation ceremony of Pakistan Air Force cadets was also quoted as saying, “Pakistan and India must also resolve the longstanding issue of Jammu and Kashmir in a dignified and peaceful manner as per the aspirations of people of Jammu and Kashmir and bring this human tragedy to its logical conclusion.”
But responding to Gen Bajwa’s surprise peace overture, New Delhi said the onus is on Pakistan to create an environment free of terror. Talking to reporters, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said, “Our position is well-known. India desires normal unneighborly relations with Pakistan in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. The onus is on Pakistan for creating such an environment.” Well known for his anti-India rhetoric, sudden change in stance of Pak army chief’s position has surprised New Delhi.
India is maintaining its position that talks and terror can’t go together and there is no indication of any dialogue until Pakistan takes some concrete steps.
India which is now a non-permanent member of the UNSC has been asking international community to take action against countries backing and sponsoring proscribed terrorists like Hafeez Saeed, Lakhvi , Dawood Ibrahim and Maulana Masood Azhar.
Sources here also believe that talks are not possible until Pakistan stops cross-border infiltration and ceasefire violations.
The Pakistan Prime Minister has also launched an international smear campaign based on falsehood against India. Recently in an interview to ANI, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said that he has informed the Centre that smuggling of weapons through drones has increased manifold.
Sources also believe that Pakistan is also attempting to add fuel to Khalistan movement in the backdrop of ongoing farmers’ agitation.
India has repeatedly said that talks and terror cannot go together and Pakistan should take demonstrable steps against terror groups operating from its soil responsible for terror attacks against India.
In a related development, Bangladesh has slammed Pakistan High Commission for celebrating ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ in Dhaka and demanded Islamabad to stop sending terrorists to Kashmir.
Bangladesh Daughters’ Foundation, Manusher Majhe Manusher Kajey and Yes Bangladesh condemned Pakistan for committing 1971 mass genocide in Bangladesh and demanded Islamabad to stop giving shelter to the murderers of Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. They also gave slogans such as — “Pakistan, We want you to put infamous terrorists behind bars” and “Stop sending terrorists to Kashmir”.
“While Pakistan celebrates ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’, it is necessary to ask Islamabad about the violation of human rights in Balochistan,” said the organisations.
Pakistan observes Kashmir Solidarity Day every year as a political stunt for renewing the country’s pledge of continuing support to the Kashmiris.
Despite Pakistan’s recent attempts to extend friendship to Bangladesh, Dhaka has always maintained that the country has not forgotten Pakistan’s gruesome killing of some 30 lakh Bangladeshis and rape of hundreds of thousands of women during the Liberation War in 1971.
“Pakistan has not yet apologized for the genocide it committed during the 1971 Liberation War. We want to maintain a friendship with everyone but how is that possible if they could not make an apology?” Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said in an interview last year.
