JOIN USOn the sixth anniversary of the 26/11 attack in Mumbai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave vent to India’s anguish and continued pain of the families of the deceased, as he subtly reminded the world that most of the masterminds of the carnage were yet to be brought to justice in Pakistan.
The prime minister referred to the November 26-28, 2008, terrorist strikes in Mumbai while addressing the 18th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) here on Wednesday.
“Today, as we remember the horror of the terror attack in Mumbai in 2008, we feel the endless pain of lost lives,” Modi said at the City Hall in Kathmandu.
Pakistan Prime Minister M Nawaz Sharif sported a grim look as he sat on the podium with leaders of other south Asian nations and listened to his counterpart from India.
Sharif evasive
Sharif did not touch upon the issue of terrorism in his own address to the summit.
Modi referred to the “endless pain” of the families of the 26/11 victims to subtly convey to the world New Delhi’s anguish over Islamabad’s persistent reluctance to speed up the trial of the seven Lashkar-e-Toiba operatives six years after the Federal Investigation Agency of Pakistan arrested them for plotting the carnage.
New Delhi has also been upset as Pakistan continued to overlook evidence provided by India indicating radical cleric Hafiz Saeed’s key role in masterminding the attack. Saeed still lives free in Pakistan and continues to spew venom against India.
The pledge
“Let us work together to fulfil the pledge we have taken to combat terrorism and transnational crimes,” Modi said, calling upon Saarc leaders to implement deals signed by the member of the bloc in the past to fight the menace.
Apart from Sharif and leaders of six other south Asian nations, top officials representing the United States, European Union, Australia, China, Iran, Japan, Myanmar and South Korea – all observers to the Saarc – were part of the audience.
The prime minister said that a prosperous Saarc needed the “strong foundation of a secure south Asia”. “If we are sensitive to each other's security, and the lives of our people, we will deepen friendships, spur cooperation and advance stability in our region,” he said, sending out a tacit message to Pakistan.
DH News Service