NSC rejects statement about Mumbai attacks as 'incorrect and misleading'

ISLAMABAD - The National Security Committee has unanimously rejected the allegations and condemned the fallacious assertions stemming out of a recent statement regarding Mumbai attacks, terming it 'incorrect and misleading'.

The participants of the high-profile meeting, under the chair of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, observed that it was very unfortunate that the opinion arising out of either misconceptions or grievances was being presented in disregard of concrete facts and realities.

According to a communique released on Monday, the NSC meeting recalled that it was not Pakistan, but India that had delayed the finalisation of the case.

The senior civil-military officials also agreed that India denied access to the principal accused, Ajmal Qasab, and his extraordinarily hurried execution became the core impediment in the finalisation of the trial.

"At the same time Pakistan continues to wait for cooperation from India on the infamous Kulbhushan Jadhav and Samjhota Express episodes," the statement added.

https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/nawaz-sharif-clarifies-his-over-hyped-remarks-on-mumbai-attacks/

The National Security Committee also resolved that Pakistan shall continue to play its due role in fighting the war against terrorism on all fronts.

The meeting convened in the wake of an interview carried by Pakistan's leading daily on Saturday, was attended by attended by the Minister for Defence & Foreign Affairs, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Mr. Miftah Ismail, Minister for Finance, Revenue & Economic Affairs, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Director General ISI Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar, National Security Adviser Lt Gen (R) Nasser Khan Janjua and senior civil and military officials.

PM Abbasi to Hold Press Conference

Besides the NSC huddle, premier, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will hold a crucial press conference, later in the day to reveal the details regarding the discussions that took place in the high-profile meeting.

What's the Controversy?

The NSC meeting was called days after former premier, Nawaz Sharif delivered a statement that was spun by the Indian media as a tacit admission of Pakistan’s involvement in the 2008 attacks that left 166 people dead.

Sharif, who has been disqualified to hold public office for life by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case, in an exclusive interview with Dawn slammed the slow probe and questioned the authorities who allowed the Mumbai attacks ‘to take place from Pakistan soil’.

“Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Why can’t we complete the trial?” Sharif had asked in the interview.

Criticising the country’s foreign policy, Sharif had added: “We have isolated ourselves. Despite giving sacrifices, our narrative is not being accepted. Afghanistan’s narrative is being accepted, but ours is not. We must look into it.”

Soon after the statement, Indian media outlets gave a twist to the story and started portraying Pakistan in a bad light, out of context.

Nawaz’s remarks being twisted out of context: Shehbaz

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that Nawaz’s interview was twisted out of context by his political opponents.

In his address at a public rally in Sindhri, the Punjab chief minister said that India is conspiring against Pakistan by using Afghan soil.

“Our mothers and sisters are being killed in Kashmir. Almighty has made Pakistan a nuclear state. If India casts an evil eye upon Pakistan then the army and people of Pakistan will give a befitting reply,” he said.