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Journalism of Courage
Leading Pakistani rights activist Ansar Burney on Thursday claimed that the parents of Ajmal Amir Kasab,lone terrorist arrested by Indian authorities for the Mumbai attacks,were missing from their home in Faridkot village in Punjab province.
The former human rights minister said a team from the Ansar Burney Trust recently visited Faridkot and found that Kasab’s parents were missing from the village.
“Where are the parents of Ajmal Kasab and who took them out from the village? This is another question that would create further doubts,” said Burney. He added that the team from his Trust had confirmed that Kasab is a Pakistani national.
After weeks of denial,the Pakistan government on Wednesday acknowledged that a preliminary investigation by its security agencies had established that Kasab is a Pakistani national.
However,Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sacked National Security Advisor Mahmud Ali Durrani for speaking to the domestic and international media on the issue.
Burney said the sacking of Durrani for making a statement regarding Kasab had “created further doubts” about involvement of the Pakistan government and “some Pakistani organisations” in the Mumbai attacks.
“Durrani was sacked because he spoke the truth and admitted that some of the organisations from Pakistan are involved,” Burney alleged.
Burney criticised the handling of the situation by the President and Prime Minister. “How is the world going to believe our government any more after they take such steps?” he asked,referring to the sacking of Durrani and the “mishandling” of the issue of Kasab’s nationality.
He also demanded resignation of interior ministry chief Rehman Malik,who he alleged had “mishandled” the matter of Kasab’s nationality and created more problems for Pakistan.
