Islamabad: Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that his country has no objection to the extradition of “persons under investigation” to India as a confidence-building measure, provided New Delhi shows willingness to cooperate in the process.

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal made this remark in an interview with Al Jazeera on Friday, the Dawn newspaper reported. The report said Bilawal made this remark while responding to a question about the extradition of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar to India as a possible agreement and goodwill gesture.

Where are Hafiz and Masood?

Bilawal said that as part of a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan, where terrorism is one of the issues we discuss. I am sure Pakistan will not oppose any of these things. According to the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), both Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed are banned by Pakistan, while Hafiz Saeed, the main conspirator of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, is currently serving a 33-year sentence for financing terrorism. Similarly, Azhar, declared a global terrorist by the United Nations, is also banned by Nacta.

India will have to present its side to punish the terrorists

Bilawal said the cases being tried against these “individuals” were to Pakistan, such as funding of terror activities. However, he said it was difficult to prosecute them for cross-border terrorism because of “non-compliance” with basic things from Delhi’s side. He said India is refusing to follow some basic things that are required for a conviction. It is important to present evidence in these courts, have people come from India to testify, to endure whatever counter-charges will be made.

Bilawal said- India will have to cooperate in the process

Bilawal said, “If India is willing to cooperate in the process, I am sure there will be no obstacle in extraditing any ‘person under investigation’.” He also expressed concern over India’s resolve to hunt down terrorists and termed it a ‘new abnormality’. “This does not serve the interests of Pakistan, and it does not serve the interests of India either,” he said. When asked about the whereabouts of Saeed and Azhar, Bilawal said Saeed was in jail, while Islamabad believed Azhar was in Afghanistan.