Dawood Ibrahim's location not 'secret', Pakistan trying to hoodwink international community: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday rejected Pakistan's claims of taking strong actions to uproot terrorist organisations from its soil, saying the neighbouring country is just trying to hoodwink international community with some cosmetic steps and has pursued a 'double standard' policy towards terrorism.

In a hard-hitting statement, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "You (Pakistan) claim that you have taken action against terrorism but when it comes to those people who we have demanded you go into denial mode. On the other hand you try to project to international community that you are taking some action against the terrorists operating from the soil".

"This basically is a case of double standards, this is something where they stand completely exposed as far as their claims of taking action against terror groups in Pakistan is concerned," he added.

READ | Dawood Ibrahim, India's most wanted, is in Pakistan: US govt confirms in UK court

Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Kumar spoke on a wide range of issues including Pakistan authority's claims on Hafiz Saeed's booking on several terror funding cases, the current location of Dawood Ibrahim, the ongoing relation between India and Pakistan and the dialogues between the two countries on Kartarpur corridor.

MEA on Hafiz Saeed:

Day after Pakistan authorities announced that Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed has been booked in several cases of terror funding, India on Thursday termed the move as a 'cosmetic step'. Saeed, who is also the leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba, is the key accused in a number of terrorist attacks, including the November 2008 deadly attack in Mumbai that killed nearly two hundred people and injured more than three hundred.

"Let us not get fooled by such cosmetic steps. Pakistan's sincerity to take action against terrorists and terror groups will be judged on the basis of their ability to demonstrate verifiable, credible and irreversible action against terror groups operating from their soil and not on the basis of half-hearted measures which they undertake sometimes to hoodwink the international community. We want a normal relationship in an environment free from terror," Raveesh Kumar said.

READ | Kartarpur Corridor: Pakistan to hold talks with India on July 14 at Wagah

Dawood Ibrahim:

Talking about Pakistan's repeated denial on presence of Dawood Ibrahim on its soil, MEA said, "The location of Dawood Ibrahim is not a secret. Time and again we have been presenting to Pakistan a list of people who are in their country. We've asked repeatedly that he should be handed over. His imprint on the Mumbai blast is very clear for all of us to see".

Kartarpur Corridor:

On the second meeting between India and Pakistan on Kartarpur corridor, Kumar said Pakistan has agreed to come for a dialogue on July 14 to discuss the draft agreement for finalising the modalities of the Kartarpur corridor and related technical issues. "We had proposed a set of dates, Pakistan agreed they will come for dialogue on July 14. There are certain differences, we will discuss those issues. It's important to emphasise it's a matter of sentiment, it's a matter of fulfilling wishes of Sikh community," Kumar was quoted as saying by media.

Besides, the ministry has also talked about the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on the side-lines of the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan and said the discussion was very open and productive.

READ | Pakistan govt extends deadline for declaring undisclosed assets

"On trade, Foreign Secretary did mention in his briefing that the two sides will meet very soon. And I understand that ministry officials from the two sides are going to meet in the next couple of weeks," Kumar said on India-US relationship.

Asked if External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will meet his Pakistani counterpart during the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers' meeting in London, Kumar said there is no such plan so far.