India and the US have accused Hafiz Saeed of involvement in the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, which resulted in the deaths of 166 people. India has officially requested that Pakistan extradite Saeed for trial in India, and the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi has stated that they have provided the necessary documentation to support their request. Saeed, a co-founder of the armed group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), denies any involvement in the attacks and is currently in custody in Pakistan.
The Pakistani government has placed Saeed under house arrest at different times, alleging his involvement in armed groups, and he was previously jailed by a Pakistani court in connection with terrorism financing. Saeed’s Jamaat-ud-Dawa group has also been banned by the Pakistani government and labeled a terrorist outfit by the US. The US has offered a reward of $10 million for information leading to Saeed’s conviction.
The 2008 attacks in Mumbai have further strained the already tense relationship between India and Pakistan, particularly in the context of the dispute over the region of Kashmir. Both countries claim ownership of the territory and have a history of conflict and war over it. India accuses Pakistan of supporting armed groups operating in Indian-administered Kashmir, while Pakistan denies the charges and supports the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination against Indian rule.
Recently, India’s top court upheld a government decision to strip the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir of its limited autonomy and place it under direct rule from New Delhi. Tensions remain high in the region, with Indian troops stationed there to quell an armed uprising, and allegations of human rights violations and undermining of democratic rights.