26/11 attack was carried out by Pakistan-based terror group: admits Pak's Ex-NSA

New Delhi: Pakistan’s former National Security Advisor, Mahmud Ali Durrani has admitted that the 26/11 terror attack was carried out by a Pakistan based terrorist organization. Durrani made this confession in a conference held in New Delhi. Also, Durrani said that the 26/11 Mumbai attack was a classic example of cross-border terrorism. Nevertheless, Durrani said that he hopes that the Pakistani government takes strict action against Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind this attack.

Durrani was speaking on the subject, ‘Combating Terrorism: Evolving an Asian Response’ in a conference organised in the capital city of New Delhi. Mahmud Ali Durrani was active as Pakistan’s National Security Advisor when the 26/11 Mumbai attack took place. This attack was executed by the Pakistan backed terrorist organization, ‘Lashkar-e-Taiba‘. India had even submitted evidence to Pakistan which proved Hafiz Saeed as the mastermind behind the attack. However, Pakistan did not take action against Saeed and other terrorists involved, claiming that the evidence was not solid. Even today, Pakistan claims that the evidence submitted by India with respect to the attack was insufficient.

Under such circumstances, Pakistan’s former National Security Advisor, Durrani has exposed his country. He said that he had to admit with regret that the attack was carried out by a Pakistan based terrorist organization. Even so, Durrani has claimed that this attack proves to be a dangerous example of cross-border terrorism and expressed his concern over it. However, Durrani clarified that the Pakistani government was not involved in the attack. While criticising Hafiz Saeed, Durrani said that Sayeed has no utility for Pakistan and demanded that the Pakistani government must punish him. Terrorism proves to be the biggest threat to global stability and peace, thus, it is most essential to retaliate against it at a global level in an organised manner, opined Durrani.

Fierce reactions have emerged from Pakistan over the former National Security Advisor’s confession. After Durrani’s response, the Indian news channels highlighted this news. Some of the Pakistani analysts while reacting to Durrani’s statements on Indian news channels, began to defame him strongly. Durrani was an irresponsible ‘Security Advisor’ who compromised on Pakistan’s National Security and had to resign due to this reason, claim Pakistani analysts. Likewise, Pakistani analysts also suspect the motive behind the statements made by Durrani in India.

However, after the 26/11 attack, Durrani had admitted to the fact that a Pakistan based terrorist organization was responsible for it. Durrani had said that this fact was openly known to the world even before he had admitted to it. Even so, action was taken against Durrani for admitting to the same. Taking his dismissal into account, Pakistani analysts have blamed Durrani of compromising Pakistan’s National Security.

The whole world has accepted the fact that all of the terrorists who carried out the Mumbai attack were Pakistanis and had entered Mumbai via a sea route. Even so, it appears that the acceptance of the fact that the attack was carried out by Pakistan based terror group by Pakistan’s former Security Advisor despite denial from Pakistan, once again has exposed the true face of his nation in front of the world.