India surprised over Pak Foreign Minister's statement about Hafiz Saeed

New Delhi, Mar 7 (ANI): The Government here on Sunday expressed surprise over the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Shah Mohammad Qureshi's statement saying New Delhi did not seek arrest of Hafiz Saeed, one of the masterminds of 26/11 terror attack.

In a statement the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakah said: "India has been demanding action against Saeed, one of the masterminds of the Mumbai terrorist attack, since the barbaric and dastardly attack took place."

The MEA also stated that India provided evidences on Saeed's involvement in terrorist attack to Pakistan.

"A dossier containing a compilation of evidence on the involvement of Hafiz Saeed in the terrorist attack was handed over to Pakistan on August 21, 2009 and his name featured prominently in yet another dossier handed over to the Pakistan Foreign Secretary during the talks on February 25, 2010," the statement added.

"Saeed's activities including his recent vitriolic and venomous statements aimed at fomenting further acts of terrorism against India and the unhindered public space and freedom he enjoys in Pakistan was raised strongly by India during the Foreign Secretary-level talks," it further added.

On Sunday, talking to reporters in Multan, Qureshi had claimed that India never demanded the arrest of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed nor it discussed the issue at the talks between Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir here on February 25. (ANI)