Nawaz Sharif confirms Pakistani militants carried out 26/11 Mumbai attacks

Islamabad : Ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday confirmed that Pakistani terrorists carried out 28/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008, and suggested that such attacks can be prevented.

According to an interview published in Dawn newspaper, Nawaz Sharif showed disappointment over how Pakistani authorities are failing to understand the real reason behind rejections in their claims of fighting terrorism at global level.

"Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Why can't we complete the trial?" he said, according to the newspaper. 

Since long, India has been making a similar accusation that Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba of carrying out the attacks in Mumbai on 26 November, 2008, that left 166 people dead and many injured.

Nawaz Sharif did not name any militant in the interview Or the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which according to India, sailed into Mumbai from Karachi, to carry out the attacks in an operation that was coordinated by Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI.

"Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Why can't we complete the trial?" he said, according to the newspaper.

The case is currently being tried at an anti-terrorism court, and the interview may give some substance to India’s claims in the matter.