Little hope of Pak action on India list of 40

NEW DELHI: There seems to be little hope of Pakistan delivering the 40 most wanted terrorists that India has demanded as Islamabad has consistently denied the presence of the Indians on the list���29 in all and topped by Mumbai don Dawood Ibrahim���on its soil.

The chances of its proceeding against the 11 Pakistanis on the list are also nonexistent because all of them have been part of ISI���s proxy war against India.

The Pakistanis on the list include LeT chief Hafiz Saeed and his close associate and mastermind of Mumbai attacks Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, jihadi leader Maulana Masood Azhar who had to be swapped for passengers of the hijacked IC-814 and the five hijackers who commandeered the plane to Kandahar.

Pakistan���s resolve not to take action against those who feature on India���s ���most wanted��� list is best illustrated by Dawood Ibrahim. The mafia boss has been hiding in plain sight in Pakistan even after the US designated him a ���global terrorist���. The immunity extends to the other 19 absconding members of the gang.

Even UN action against LeT, JuD and terror masterminds like Saeed and Lakhvi is unlikely to spur the Pakistani authorities. Islamabad has routinely cocked a snook at Indian claims of terrorists of various hues���from Khalistani to jihadifinding refuge in Pakistan.

It has failed to comply with international directives to round up the suspects and choke their financial and operational capabilities.

Dawood has been on UNSC and Interpol lists for years but has operated with ease under ISI patronage. India has even provided Pakistan with two Karachi addresses where he is believed to be living but Islamabad has brazenly refused to act upon it.

UNSC pressure has not worked against Dawood. Indian intelligence agencies are sceptical if it will work against Saeed and the others. They believe the initial posturing like freezing the terrorists��� bank accounts and putting travel bans on them will fizzle out in a few months.

The Indian list also has the names of five Punjab terrorists of various Khalistani groups who have been hiding in Pakistan. Intelligence agencies believe these terrorists are under the protection of the ISI���which once played an active role in foementing terrorism in Punjab.