Musharraf admits JeM carried out attacks in India during his tenure
Islamabad: Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf has admitted that Masood Azhar-led Jaish-e-Mohammed carried out attacks in India during his tenure on the instructions of the intelligence agencies.
Musharraf, 75, who is currently in Dubai, said that the Pakistan government's crackdown on the JeM, which also tried to assassinate him twice, was a good move.
The JeM recently claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama attack that left 40 CRPF personnel dead, increasing tensions between India and Pakistan.
Last month, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi during an interview with CNN said that Azhar is in Pakistan, but the government can act against him only if India presents "solid" and "inalienable" evidence that can stand in a court of law.
Pakistan military, however, denied the terror group's presence in the country.
Amid mounting international pressure after the Pulwama attack, Pakistan on Tuesday detained 44 members of the banned militant outfits, including Azhar's son and brother.
Musharraf, who also served as Pakistan's army chief, said that the action against the JeM should have been taken earlier.
When asked why he himself had not taken any action against the Jaish leadership and the organisation when he was in power, the former military ruler said, "Those were different times. Our intelligence men were involved in a tit-for-tat between India and Pakistan...This was continuing at that time and amid all of this, no major action was taken against the Jaish. And I also did not insist."
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Waqf Bill anti-secular, will snatch rights of Muslims: Mamata Banerjee
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday described the Waqf (Amendment) Bill as “anti-secular”, claiming that it would snatch the rights of Muslims.
Banerjee, speaking in the assembly, also said the Centre did not consult with states over the matter.
“The bill is anti-federal and anti-secular; it is a deliberate attempt to malign a particular section. It will snatch the rights of Muslims... The Centre did not consult with us on the Waqf Bill,” she said.
The chief minister added that “if any religion was attacked”, she would wholeheartedly condemn it.
Opposition parties have stridently criticised the amendments proposed by the bill in the existing Waqf Act, alleging that they violate the religious rights of Muslims.
The ruling BJP has asserted that the amendments will bring transparency in the functioning of the Waqf boards and make them accountable.
A parliamentary committee has been constituted to scrutinise the contentious bill.
