Due to the absence of an extradition treaty between the two nations, Pakistan on Friday ostensibly rejected an Indian request for the extradition of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the claimed mastermind of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Office, confirmed in a statement that the Indians had requested extradition. The spokesperson stated, “Pakistan has received a request from the Indian authorities, seeking extradition of Hafiz Saeed in a case involving alleged money laundering.”
“It is important to remember that Pakistan and India do not have a bilateral extradition treaty,” she continued.
The statement implied, without stating so specifically, that Pakistan would not consider the Indian request because the two nations do not have an extradition treaty.
An official from the Indian External Affairs Ministry earlier informed reporters in New Delhi that the Indian government has sent Hafiz Saeed an official request for extradition.
“The individual in question is wanted in multiple Indian cases.” And he is a terrorist designated by the UN. In this regard, we have requested—along with pertinent supporting documentation—that the Pakistani government extradite him to India so that he can stand trial in a specific case,” the official informed the press.
“We have been bringing attention to the actions for which he is sought. This desire is new,” he continued.
Saeed was included to the UN 1267/1989 al-Qaida penalties Committee shortly after the Mumbai bombings in December 2008, marking him as a person connected to the terrorist group al-Qaida and therefore vulnerable to international penalties.
The US declared a $10 million reward for information leading to Saeed’s whereabouts.
He was given a 31-year prison sentence by a judge last year for financing terrorism. Pakistan took this measure in an attempt to remove itself from the Financial measure Task Force’s (FATF) watch list by following its action plan.
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