Nawaz's remarks on Mumbai attacks back Modi's stance: Sherry Rehman

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sherry Rehman on Sunday slammed Nawaz Sharif for his recent remarks on the Mumbai attacks and said his statement backed Indian prime minister Modi's stance. 

Addressing a press conference, she said that the former prime minister’s statement compromised Pakistan’s narrative in the war against terrorism and demanded that he retract his remarks. 

"PPP rejects Nawaz Sharif's statement and stance [on Mumbai attacks]. Is he [Nawaz] an analyst that he's giving out such statements?" she questioned. 

Nawaz, in a recent interview to Dawn newspaper, had said, “Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Why can’t we complete the trial?”

His remarks were played up by the Indian media as an admission of Pakistan's involvement in the terrorist attacks, even though similar questions and statements have been raised from civilian and security officials in Pakistan earlier.

Rehman, who is also the leader of the opposition in the Senate, said questions were being raised all around the world following Nawaz's remarks.

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"Why didn't Nawaz also say that Pakistan tried [very] hard to cooperate with India in the Mumbai trials?" she continued. 

The PPP leader vowed that "we would not allow Pakistan's honour to be violated and its narrative to be compromised."

"Pakistan is fighting the war against terrorism alone. Our Armed Forces, [the nation] have given [countless] sacrifices in the war against terrorism," she lamented. "Terrorism is a global issue, not just one country's. PPP will fight for Pakistan's case."

Rehman said that the PPP wants the Mumbai trials to be taken to their logical conclusion and the perpetrators to be punished. Pakistan has tried to cooperate with India in the case from the start, she pointed out. 

The United States also said Pakistan had no role in the Mumbai attacks, she added. 

"Nawaz thinks he has no immunity. [He's] heading a major party yet [he] thinks only about himself."

Rehman emphasised the need of a foreign minister and said it was regrettable that the country did not have a foreign minister for four years. 

India used Mumbai attacks to malign Pakistan: Nisar

Former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, weighing on the recent wave of discussion on the 2008 Mumbai attacks, remarked earlier today that the incident was used by India to malign Pakistan.

“Pakistan was heavily criticised over the Mumbai attacks,” he shared in a statement while referring to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s recent remarks on the Mumbai attacks.

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“India used the Mumbai attacks for its own despicable plans,” said Nisar, who has swayed away from Nawaz since his ouster last year. 

He also blamed India for showing aggression and refusing to cooperate during the investigation into the case. “The lack of cooperation by India was the biggest hurdle in the investigation. India wasn’t interested in a transparent investigation,” he said.