Sajid Mir Case Exposes Pakistan’s Terror Duplicity

Sajid Mir Case Exposes Pakistan’s Terror Duplicity

Why in the News ?

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra cited the Sajid Mir case to show how Pakistan misleads global platforms on terrorism. Mir, a key 26/11 mastermind, was falsely declared dead but later “resurrected” and arrested under FATF pressure.

Sajid Mir: Pakistan’s “Dead” Terrorist Resurrected:

• Sajid Mir, senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative, was key in Mumbai 26/11 attacks.
• Pakistan had declared him dead, but under international pressure, claimed to arrest him in 2022.
• This was timed with Pakistan’s efforts to exit FATF’s grey list in October 2022.
• His arrest was likely cosmetic, with no confirmed prosecution or sentencing to date.

Terror Ties and Global Criminal Trail

• Mir, born in Lahore, is listed as Most Wanted by India and the US, with aliases and a $5 million bounty.
• Involved in recruiting jihadists, plotting attacks in Sydney (2003), and was linked to ISI and the Pakistan Army.
• He trained the 10 terrorists who attacked Mumbai and directed them live over phone from Karachi.

Diplomatic Fallout and China’s Block

• Despite Red Corner Notices and a US push, China blocked his UN listing under 1267 Sanctions in 2023.
• Indian envoy Prakash Gupta criticised the global lack of political will at the UN counter-terror meeting.
• Mir’s case reveals Pakistan’s duplicity in tackling terrorism while seeking global legitimacy.