Islamabad: In what clearly reflects Pakistan’s so called ‘sincere’ efforts against extremist outfits flourishing on its soil, a report of wanted militants, which has been prepared by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), does not include top leaders of Pakistani Taliban and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Twenty men who allegedly helped plan and carry out the Mumbai attacks, including several Lashker-e-Toiba operatives, figure among the 119 "most wanted" terrorists in Pakistan.
The 20 men are wanted in connection with a case registered by the FIA and have been booked under provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act, Pakistan Penal Code and a cyber crimes law.
They figure in the "Red Book" or list of 119 "most wanted terrorists" that was drawn up by the FIA in October last year with help from provincial police forces.
However, the name of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar or that of the top leaders of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan do not figure in the list. Pakistani authorities have also refused to arrest LeT founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed in connection with 26/11 attacks, saying there is no evidence against him.
Heading the list of 20 Pakistani nationals wanted for the Mumbai attacks is Muhammad Amjad Khan, a shadowy LeT organiser and facilitator based in Karachi.
Khan hails from Multan in Punjab province and his name has figured prominently in information provided by Pakistan to India in several dossiers.
Others on the list are Iftikhar Ali of Faisalabad, who deposited USD 250 for a Voice over Internet Protocol connection that was used for communications by the Mumbai attackers, and LeT financiers Sufyan Zafar of Gujranwala, Muhammad Usman Zia of Rawalpindi, Muhammad Abbas Nasir of Khanewal, Javed Iqbal of Kasur, Mukhtar Ahmad of Mandi
Bahauddin and Ahmed Saeed of Batagram.Also included in the list of most wanted terrorists are crew members of Al-Hussaini and Al-Fouz, the two boats used by the attackers.
They are Shahid Ghafoor of Bhawalpur (captain of the boats) and crew members Abdul Rehman of Bahawalnagar, Muhammad Usman of Chicha Watni in Sahiwal, Ateeq-ur-Rehman of Lahore, Riaz Ahmad of Jharianwala, Muhammad Mushtaq of Gujranwala, Muhammad Naeem of Dera Ghazi Khan, Abdul Shakoor of Sargodha, Muhammad Sabir Salfi of Multan, Muhammad Usman of Lodhran and Shakil Ahmad of Rahimyar Khan.
Another person in the list is Muhammad Khan of Turbat in Balochistan, who provided the boat Al-Hussaini to terrorists.
Seven men, including LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, are currently being tried by an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi for planning and helping execute the
Mumbai attacks.
Thirty-three of the terrorists on the list are wanted by the FIA and the rest by provincial police forces.
They are wanted for various terrorist attacks, including the 2007 assassination for former premier Benazir Bhutto, the 2008 bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, and attempts on the life of former President Pervez Musharraf.
The wanted terrorists are affiliated with groups like the Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami, Sipah-e-Sahaba, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Qari Saifullah Akhtar group of Waziristan, Jundullah and
Baloch Liberation Army. Some of the wanted men have fought and were trained in Afghanistan.
One of the men on the list -- Qari Zafar -- was killed in a US drone attack in North Waziristan last month.
PTI
