Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday termed former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s public acknowledgement that militant organisations were active in his country as a serious disclosure. The Minister said it proved India’s position that the handlers of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack were in Pakistan.
In a media interview on Friday, Mr. Sharif for the first time questioned Pakistan’s policy of allowing the “non-state actors” to cross the border and “kill” people in Mumbai.
To a question at a press conference here, Ms. Sitharaman said, “It is very serious disclosure. India’s position has been that the mastermind of the Mumbai attack operated from Pakistan. We strongly believe that the handlers were in Pakistan. It (Sharif’s remarks) only proves that India’s stand has been right all the way.”
To a query on Karnataka exit polls, she said the BJP would form the government in the State. On Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s comment that he was ready to make way for a Dalit, Ms. Sitharaman said, “I never heard this during the campaigning.” (With PTI inputs )
