Pervez Musharraf: JeM attacked India on Pakistan intel's orders

Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. Pic/AFP

Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf has admitted that Masood Azhar-led Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) 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. Pakistan military has, 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. "This is a good move. I have always said that the JeM is a terrorist organisation and they only had carried out a suicide attack in an attempt to assassinate me. Action should be taken against them. I am happy," said Musharraf, who also served as Pakistan's army chief, adding that the action against 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." Musharraf had ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008. Musharraf, who has been living in Dubai since March 2016, is facing the treason case for suspending the Constitution in 2007, a punishable offence for which he was indicted in 2014.

Pak SC unhappy over delay in case
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday expressed displeasure over the delay in trial of Musharraf in the treason case and sought an explanation from the government. Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa summoned the attorney general of Pakistan to appear and appraise the apex court as to what steps have been taken by the government to bring Musharraf back.

121 detained in crackdown
Pakistan on Thursday said that it has taken over control of 182 religious schools and over 100 people into "preventive detention", as it intensified its crackdown on terror outfits. Five hospitals, 163 dispensaries, and eight offices run by the terror groups have also been taken over.

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