Extradite 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, India tells Pakistan

India has asked Pakistan to extradite Hafiz Saeed, the founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Saeed is listed as the most-wanted terrorist in India.

India's ministry of external affairs has requested the Pakistani ministry of foreign affairs to initiate the legal process for his extradition, sources say.

In the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, more than 160 people—including some American citizens—lost their lives.

Several local media reports in Pakistan have also noted that the Indian government has requested the handover of the terrorist by the Pakistani ministry of foreign affairs.

Experts on international law, however, say that there is no formal agreement between India and Pakistan to facilitate (far less enforce) such a call for extradition.

Besides India, many other countries have also declared Hafiz Saeed a terrorist. The US has a reward of nearly US$ 100 million riding on him.

Saeed, meanwhile, has already been imprisoned in Pakistan in connection with cases to do with the funding of terrorism.

Defence experts say that if Pakistan is interested in maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries and wants to be seen as serious in its bid to control terrorism, then it should take positive steps regarding India's extradition request.