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.