India has officially made a request to Pakistan for the extradition of Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Despite being a wanted terrorist in India, Saeed has been operating without restriction from within Pakistan. Notably, his son, Talha Saeed, has recently declared his candidacy for the upcoming Pakistani general elections.

New Delhi has formally submitted an extradition request to Islamabad regarding Hafiz Saeed, the co-founder of the United Nations-listed terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the mastermind behind the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. Indian agencies, including the NIA, have been actively involved in the case.

Following the Mumbai terror attack, Hafiz Saeed swiftly found himself listed under the 'United Nations Security Council Sanctions Committee on Al-Qaida and ISIL' in December 2008. Designation as an international terrorist also came from both the United States and the European Union.

In a demonstration of the gravity of his actions, the U.S. government offered a substantial $10 million bounty in 2012 for information leading to the capture of Hafiz Mohammad Saeed. Terrorism originating from territories under Pakistan's control has consistently raised concerns in bilateral relations between India and Pakistan.

New Delhi has continually emphasized the imperative for Pakistan to take credible, irreversible, and verifiable actions to curb cross-border terrorism directed against India. In tandem, India has urged Pakistan to expedite the trial of the Mumbai terror attacks case, providing all relevant evidence to facilitate justice. Despite the sharing of conclusive evidence, the ongoing trial within Pakistan has witnessed minimal progress.

In reaction to reports regarding India's extradition request for Hafiz Saeed, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry refrained from offering extensive comments, stating, "The question is based on speculative reporting. We would not like to comment on such reports."

India's pursuit of credible actions against cross-border terrorism and the expedited trial of the Mumbai terror attacks case remain a key point of contention in the bilateral relationship. The region awaits further developments in this ongoing diplomatic saga.

Image source: The Economic Times