Hafiz Saeed calls on Pak to wage jihad against India over Kashmir

NEW DELHI - The mastermind of the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008, Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, has said that Pakistan should wage jihad against India if New Delhi refuses to hold talks on issues like Kashmir and the sharing of river waters.

“Look at India’s attitude, especially after the 9/11 attacks. It has taken advantage of Pakistan’s weaknesses and made dams and stopped our water. Pakistan, for its defence, will have to fight a war at all costs with India if it is not prepared for talks on Kashmir and water,” Saeed said in an interview to Frontline, a private TV channel.

While pledging to back the Pakistan Army if a war-like situation arises against India, the JuD chief threatened New Delhi by saying that if a war is waged between the two countries, it won’t be limited to Kashmir.

“If there is a war between Pakistan and India, the Pakistan Army, people and the JuD will stand united and fight with India. If there is a war, India should understand that things will not be limited to Kashmir,” he said.

Denying his involvement in the Mumbai attacks, Saeed dared India to “prove” charges against him “it in any court,” and he would “accept everything.”

“Let India prove in any court of the world that our group was involved in the attack on Parliament or any of our members was involved in that, and I will be willing to accept everything they say. This is my challenge,” Saeed said.

Saeed, also the founder of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, was placed under house arrest in Lahore in December 2008 after the JuD was declared a terrorist group by the UN Security Council in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.

He was freed after six months on the orders of the Lahore High Court, and continues to enjoy protection by Pakistani authorities. (ANI)