26/11 Terrorist Must Face Indian Justice: Mukherjee

New Delhi: Clearing the air about India’s intentions, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday said that Pakistan must hand over 26/11 terror suspects to India so that they face Indian justice.

The clarification was necessitated as he had said yesterday, during an interview, that Pakistan can try the Mumbai terror attacks terror suspects as per their own law.

“We have never given up the demand that the perpetrators be handed over to India,” said Pranab.

Referring to the spate of terror attacks that rocked India, Pranab said that India has been all along requesting Pak to take sincere and effective stand.

Not willing to let go of the pressure that’s been building up on Pakistan, Pranab said, “Pakistan is obliged to investigate and prosecute individuals. It is Pak’s responsibility that persons based in Pak do not commit criminal act in other country and then have effective immunity because they are Pakistani nationals.”

On Pakistan’s apparent discomfort over the handing over of Mumbai perpetrators, Pranab in a strong statement said, “terror crime was committed in India so the perpetrators must face Indian justice. It is not an either/or situation as it is not mutually exclusive.”

Pointing to the extradition laws in Pakistan, Pranab said that as per the law of the land itself Pak can extradite individuals to those countries too with which it doesn’t have an official treaty.

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