Bilawal Bhutto hints at Hafiz Saeed’s extradition to India, LeT founder’s son, Imran’s party slam him

Former Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has hinted at the extradition of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed to India, as per an interview he gave to Al Jazeera . Bhutto said that Islamabad is ready for extradition in a show of good faith to New Delhi.

However, his gesture did not sit well with Saeed’s son, Talha Saeed, who reportedly said that Bhutto had brought disgrace to the country by making such an ‘irresponsible offer’.

Talha reportedly said that the Pakistan government should be demanding the extradition of Indian leaders. Questioning Bhutto’s credibility, he said that his family had a history of toeing Western and India line against Pakistan.

Spokesperson for Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Sheikh Waqas Akram, slammed the comment and reportedly called Bhutto an "immature political child".

He said that Bhutto's remarks have embarrassed the country on a global platform, questioning his political vision and understanding of geopolitics, as per reports. Akram also questioned why he was so “eager to please India”.

Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is known for his inflammatory speeches against India and the US.

Before this, India had asked Pakistan in a formal communication to extradite Lashkar-e-Taiba chief and 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed to the country in December 2023. 

In the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, more than 160 people lost their lives. Several media reports in Pakistan, too, have mentioned that the Indian government has requested the handover of Saeed.

However, few experts said that there is no formal agreement between India and Pakistan for such a type of extradition. Besides India, many other countries have also declared Saeed a terrorist.

The US has also announced a reward of nearly $100 million for Saeed and his organisation. Saeed has already been imprisoned in Pakistan in connection with terror funding cases.