Pakistan has received India’s request for extradition of 26/11 attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said on Friday. But she said that no bilateral extradition treaty exists between India and Pakistan.

In a statement, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said, “Pakistan has received a request from the Indian authorities, seeking extradition of Hafiz Saeed in a so-called money laundering case.”

“It is pertinent to note that no bilateral extradition treaty exists between Pakistan and India,” she added.

Earlier in the day, Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India has conveyed a request to the Pakistan government regarding the extradition of Hafiz Saeed to India for facing trial in a particular case.

Addressing the weekly briefing, Mr Bagchi said, “The person in question (Hafiz Saeed) is wanted in numerous cases in India. He is also a UN-proscribed terrorist. In this regard, we have conveyed a request along with relevant supporting documents, to the government of Pakistan to extradite him to India to face trial in a particular case.

“We have been flagging the issue of activities that he’s been wanted for. This is a recent request,” he added.

Notably, Saeed, who is a UN-proscribed terrorist is the founder of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). He was the mastermind of the deadly 26/11 attacks in Mumbai and is wanted in India in numerous cases.

Muhammad Hafiz Saeed, who has been in jail since July 17, 2019, for other charges, was sentenced in April 2022 by a special anti-terrorism court in Lahore, Pakistan, to a jail term of 33 years for “financing terrorism.”

Despite being designated a terrorist by the UN and EU in the 2000s, Saeed was neither charged nor extradited over nearly two decades. Saeed was designated as a terrorist by the United Nations Security Council in December 2008.

Meanwhile, in a development that has brought criticism, the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), a political entity of Hafiz Saeed has fielded candidates for each and every national and provincial assembly constituency across Pakistan for the upcoming general elections slated to be held on February 8, 2024.

Hafiz Saeed’s son Talha Saeed is also going to contest the polls from National Assembly’s constituency NA-127, Lahore, Dawn reported. PMML’s central president Khalid Masood Sindhu is contesting elections from NA-130, against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The Prime Minister, who is expected to be in Ayodhya for four hours, will also inaugurate or lay the foundation stone of 46 infrastructure projects worth Rs 15,700 crore. The city has been decked up in flowers and posters welcoming the PM have been put up in several places. A heavy security cordon is in place.
“Our government is determined to develop world-class infrastructure, improve connectivity and preserve the rich heritage of Ayodhya, the city of Lord Shri Ram. In this direction, I will inaugurate the newly constructed airport and redeveloped railway station tomorrow. Along with this, I will also get the privilege of inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of many more development projects, which will make the life of my family members in many areas of the country, including Ayodhya and UP, easier,” PM Modi posted in Hindi on X.
The Ayodhya airport, which will be called the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham, has been developed at a cost of over Rs 1,450 crore. The airport’s terminal has an area of 6,500 sq m and will be equipped to serve about 10 lakh passengers annually. Colourful murals depicting different stages of the Ramayana and Lord Ram’s life adorn several sections of the airport
Airlines will offer flights to and from major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad to cater to the thousands of people who are expected to visit the Ram Temple every day after the consecration ceremony. Regular flight operations will begin on January 6.
The railway station, which will be called the Ayodhya Dham junction, has been redeveloped at a cost of Rs 240 crore. The three-storey structure is a certified green building and is equipped with lifts, escalators, waiting halls, cloakrooms and food plazas.
The station’s facade has a traditional look and many aspects of the design are inspired by Lord Ram’s life as well as the Ram Temple. “The top of the station has a structure with a design that resembles a royal ‘mukut’ (crown) while a bow has been depicted on a wall just beneath it. This is to signify Ayodhya’s association with Lord Ram,” an official told news agency PTI.
Prime Minister Modi will also flag off six Vande Bharat and two new Amrit Bharat trains. The Amrit Bharat trains, which are a new category of superfast passenger trains, feature the ‘push-pull’ technology, which increases their speed as well as passenger comfort. They also have improved amenities, including better seats, roomier luggage racks, LED lights, CCTV cameras and a public information system.
The Prime Minister will inaugurate the railway station around 10.30 am and flag off the trains. He will also dedicate several other railway projects to the nation. The PM will hold a roadshow and reach the Ayodhya Airport, which will be inaugurated around 12.30 pm. He will then participate in a public programme where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of the development projects.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday inspected the Ayodhya railway station and the airport and also took a selfie at the ground where the Prime Minister will address the public programme. The chief minister will welcome the PM when he arrives in Ayodhya around 9.50 am.
Of the development works, projects worth more than Rs 11,000 crore are for Ayodhya and its surrounding areas. The Prime Minister will inaugurate four widened and beautified roads in the city. The other projects include a medical college, the Ayodhya bypass, a solid waste treatment and five parking and commercial facilities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Ayodhya today to inaugurate several projects with a total investment exceeding Rs 15,000 crore. Ahead of his visit, the Prime Minister said his government is determined to build world-class infrastructure in the city.

At 11:15 am, PM Modi will kick off the day’s events by inaugurating the revamped Ayodhya Railway Station. The Prime Minister will also flag off new Amrit Bharat and Vande Bharat trains. At 12:15 pm, he will unveil the newly constructed Ayodhya Airport.

“Our government is determined to develop world-class infrastructure, improve connectivity and preserve the rich heritage of Ayodhya, the city of Lord Shri Ram. In this direction, I will inaugurate the newly constructed airport and redeveloped railway station tomorrow. Along with this, I will also get the privilege of inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of many more development projects, which will make the life of my family members in many areas of the country including Ayodhya and UP easier,” PM Modi wrote on X in Hindi.

भगवान श्री राम की नगरी अयोध्या में विश्वस्तरीय इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर के विकास, कनेक्टिविटी में सुधार और यहां की समृद्ध विरासत के संरक्षण के लिए हमारी सरकार कृतसंकल्प है। इसी दिशा में कल नवनिर्मित एयरपोर्ट और पुनर्विकसित रेलवे स्टेशन का उद्घाटन करूंगा। इसके साथ ही कई और विकास परियोजनाओं…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 29, 2023

The day will culminate in a public program at 1 pm, where PM Modi will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation, and lay the foundation stones for several development projects. These projects, collectively valued at more than Rs 15,000 crore, encompass initiatives worth Rs 11,100 crore dedicated to the development of Ayodhya and its surroundings. Additionally, projects worth Rs 4,600 crore will be unveiled, targeting various areas across Uttar Pradesh.

The other projects include a medical college, the Ayodhya bypass, a solid waste treatment, and five parking and commercial facilities.