New Delhi, India (July 18, 2014): In a statement that is being seen as a major embarrassment for the Indian state, Pakistan’s High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Friday (July 18) said that Pakistan can’t put Hafiz Saeed in jail just to please anyone.
It is notable that India accuses Hafiz Saeed for masterminding 26/11 Mumbai strikes of 2008.
He also asserted that the Pakistan was not aware about the meeting between JuD Hafiz Saeed and Indian Journalist Ved Partap Vaidik and further that no action can be taken against the JuD Chief as there was no evidence against him.
Abdul Basit was replying to a volley of questions during Meet the Press programme at Press Club of India. He said that the Vidik-Saeed meeting was a meeting between two private persons.
“Our government was not aware of this meeting and nor was the Government of India. It was a meeting between two private individuals and nothing more,” Basit said.
Asked whether Pakistani intelligence agency ISI was also not aware about the meeting, he only said Pakistani government has nothing to do with it.
On why no action was taken against the JuD chief for his alleged involvement in terror activities, the Pakistani High Commissioner said there was “no evidence” to prosecute Saeed.
He said Pakistan government needs “hard evidence” to put Hafiz Saeed in jail. “We do not have any evidence against him…We cannot put him in jail just to please anyone.”