Musharraf says 'biggest supporter of Saeed's LeT, his role in Kashmir'

Karachi/Dubai: Calling himself the "biggest supporter" of the LeT and its founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan's former dictator Pervez Musharraf has said he backs the terror group's role in "suppressing" the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Musharraf, the 74-year-old retired general who is on self-exile in Dubai, said that Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed "is involved in Kashmir" and he supports their involvement.

Musharraf, who recently announced a 'grand alliance' of 23 political parties, also said he is always in favour of "action" in Jammu and Kashmir and "suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir".

"They (LeT) are the biggest force. India got them declared as terrorists after partnering with the US. Yes, they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir but in Kashmir it is between us and India," he told the ARY News.

Calling himself the biggest supporter of LeT and Saeed, Musharraf said he knows that he is also liked by the militant group and the Jammat-ud-Dawa, the group headed by Saeed in Pakistan.

The LeT was banned in Pakistan and the decision to ban the terror outfit in Pakistan was taken by the Musharraf government itself.

When asked about it, Musharraf said he banned the terror group under "different circumstances" without elaborating further.

Musharraf's comments came days after Saeed walked free following Pakistan government's decision against detaining him further. He was under house arrest since January 2017.

India had expressed outrage over the decision of the judicial board to release Saeed, calling it an attempt by Pakistan to mainstream proscribed terrorists and a reflection of its continuing support to non-state actors.

Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, was placed on the terrorism black list by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008.

The US too has designated him as a global terrorist and has announced a reward of USD 10 million for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

Saeed has now filed the petition to delist him from the UN list of designated terrorists.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

Musharraf is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years of self-exile in Dubai to contest the general elections in 2013 which he lost.

Musharraf, who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, claimed that he was ready to face all charges as the courts are not under "Nawaz Sharif's control anymore".