This Article is From Oct 28, 2013

Imran Khan justifies contact with alleged 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed

Pak's former cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan.

Lahore: Pakistani politician and former cricketer Imran Khan has justified contact with the banned Jamat-ud-Dawa and its leader Hafiz Saeed, who is alleged to be the mastermind behind the 26/11 attacks.

The Jamaat-ud-Dawa, founded by Hafiz Saeed and seen as a front for Laskhar-e-Taiba, is blamed for the three-day carnage in Mumbai in 2008 that killed 166 people.

In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Mr Khan has defended his dealings with Hafiz Saeed, arguing that political parties do not boycott people and it's his right to see whoever he think he needs to as a politician.

"If I, as a politician, share stage with a violent organisation, what's wrong with that?" Mr Khan said.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party chief also said the Supreme and High courts are the forum where Hafiz Saeed's involvement in the Indian attacks should be determined.

"My answer is very simple. I believe in a court of law. It should go through court," he said.

Last weekend, India lashed out at Pakistan for its claims that New Delhi has not handed it the evidence of the country's involvement in the 26/11 terror attacks, saying that 99 per cent of the evidence is already with Pakistan.

Pakistan had made the controversial claim soon after reports said the 2008 attacks were discussed between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and US president Barack Obama during their talks in Washington last week.
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