New Delhi, November 26: The Union Ministry of External Affairs on Monday welcomed the United States’ statement on Pakistan and reiterated its stand that the perpetrators will not be spared. A decade after the terror attacks of 26/11 in Mumbai, the United States called Pakistan to uphold their UN Security Council obligations to implement sanctions against terrorists – including Lashkar-e-Taiba and its affiliates.

Welcoming US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s statement, Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, “I welcome the statement made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the 10th anniversary of Mumbai Terror Attacks calling upon Pakistan to bring to justice perpetrators of the attack.” 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack: We are Waiting for the Appropriate Time, Says Narendra Modi. 

Stating more, the MEA said, “We welcome statement issued today by United States calling on Pakistan to uphold their UN Security Council obligations to implement sanctions against terrorists responsible for 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and its affiliates.”

The ministry was of the opinion that planners of the heinous crime are still roaming free in Pakistan with impunity. The Union Ministry said, “Planners of 26/11 still roam streets of Pakistan with impunity. The 26/11 terrorist attack was planned, executed and launched from Pak territory. We once again call on Government of Pakistan to give up double standards and expeditiously bring perpetrators of horrific attack to justice.”

Launching a scathing attack and expressing anguish, the MEA said, “It's a matter of deep anguish that even after 10 years of this heinous terror attack, families of 166 victims from 15 countries still await closure, with Pakistan showing little sincerity in bringing perpetrators to justice.”

Ten Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists sailed to Mumbai from Karachi on November 26, 2008. They carried out coordinated attacks in which 166 people were killed and over 300 were injured. The security forces killed nine attackers, while one lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was captured and hanged in 2012. The plan was masterminded by Lashkar’s Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 26, 2018 05:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).