'Hand over 20 terror fugitives, including Dawood, Masood Azhar'

NEW DELHI: Ramping up the diplomatic pressure on Pakistan significantly, the government asked Islamabad to turn in 20 of India's most wanted terrorists, including Dawood Ibrahim and Maulana Masood Azhar, chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad.

Pakistan high commissioner Shahid Malik was called in by special secretary Vivek Katju to serve a strongly worded demarche (diplomatic protest) in the light of clinching evidence of involvement of LeT operatives in the Mumbai attack.

This demand was first made by the NDA government's home minister, L K Advani, to Pakistan after the Parliament attack. Pakistan has not moved in that direction so far; instead it has even denied their presence on its soil in the face of incontrovertible evidence.

Reiterating the demand is India���s way of piling up the diplomatic pressure. While Pakistan will find it difficult to give up these men, India intends to press for at least some of the fugitives to be handed over.

" He (Malik) was informed that the recent terrorist attack on Mumbai was carried out by elements from Pakistan," the MEA spokesperson said. "The government expects that strong action would be taken against those elements, whosoever they may be, responsible for this outrage."