26/11 Mumbai attack carried out by Pak-based terror group: Ex-Pak NSA

Pakistan’s former National Security Adviser (NSA) Mahmud Ali Durrani on Monday said that the 26/11 Mumbai attack was carried out by a terror group based in Pakistan.

Durrani said that, "The 26/11 attack on Mumbai bore the marks of a classic trans-border terror event. I hate to admit this, but it's true".

"I felt very bad the moment this happened. I called Mr Narayanan, NSA (of India) and asked him if he allowed us we would send two-three investigators to help to reach the root cause, but mistrust prevailed," Durrani said in reference to 26/11 Mumbai attack while speaking at the 19th Asian Security Conference held at the Institute of Defence and Studies and Analyses.

"Today, terrorism is a serious global threat, which needs to be defeated by a well-considered strategy both at the national and international levels," he added.

He said even the United Nations is unable to define what terrorism is even when it has become a household term.

Durrani said while people are blaming Pakistan of supporting terrorism but the country itself continues to suffer from terrorism the most.

"Terrorism in any form, irrespective of its objective, should be forcefully condemned," he said.

Durrani urged each country to ensure that its territory is not used to attack any other nation. He said Intelligence Agencies need to play a positive role in diffusing terrorism.

Durrani noted that resolving border disputes will help diffuse terrorism

On Hafiz Saeed, accused of masterminding the attacks, Durrani said that he had ‘no utility’ for Pakistan, and the country should act against him.

Durrani, who had served as a Major General in the Pakistani army, was sacked in 2009 for having indicated that Ajmal Kasab, the lone Pakistani terrorist arrested for the Mumbai terror attack, may have been a Pakistani. Kasab was hanged by India.

Reacting to Durrani's remarks, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said, "India's stand is very well known. There is nothing new in this revelation".

But Durrani also sought to debunk India's assertion that it carried out surgical strikes on terror camps across the Line of Control (LoC), saying he did not see evidence of any such attack by the Indian forces.

However, he advocated cordial relations between New Delhi and Islamabad and said Pakistan cannot progress if there is no friendship with India.

India last week asked Pakistan to reinvestigate the 2008 Mumbai terror attack case and put on trial Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed who is currently under house arrest in Lahore under the anti-terrorism law.

India made a fresh demand in a reply to Pakistan's request to send 24 Indian witnesses to record their statements in the case, a Pakistan interior ministry official said on Wednesday.

"We have received a reply from Indian government in response to our letter regarding sending 24 Indian witnesses to Pakistan to record their statements in the Mumbai terror attack case.

"But instead of entertaining our request India has sought reinvestigation of the case and also demanded trial of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and Lashkar-e-Taiba operation commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in the light of evidence it had provided to Pakistan," the official said.