Mani Shankar Aiyar loses cool with terror head Saeed on TV

Islamabad, Feb 3: Parliamentarian Mani Shankar Aiyar seems to be a sort of person who will call a spade a spade, and did just that when he told Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed that he need to be arrested and brought before a terrorism court.

Aiyar engaged in a confrontation of sorts with Saeed when he asked the banned terror leader on his irk at India accepting Pakistan. Both lost their cool on a TV talk show when the host in a surprise move linked Saeed on phone the same time Aiyar was in a studio in Islamabad.

Following the talk show host's questions, Saeed stated on what his issues were that led to him opposing better trade relations with India and his reservations on granting of the Most Favoured Nation-status to the neighbouring country. He has been quoted as saying, "Giving India MFN-status is not correct in any manner because there are already big problems that haven’t been resolved, including the Kashmir issue. At this moment, the dams being made by India will create a crisis in Pakistan."

Saeed also accused India of not seriously trying to resolve problems. In response, Aiyar said that Saeed represented a small group of people who opposed better ties with India and the general public was all for cordial relations with both countries. Aiyar said, "There are some persons like Hafiz Saeed in our country who do not want things to move forward but thankfully the ordinary people want our ties to improve. We can improve our relations irrespective of what his (Saeed’s) opinion is. We want him to be caught and taken to a terrorism court."

Saeed replying to his arrest call by Aiyar said that there was no case against him and that in previous instance of his arrest was always based on allegations. He also added that the Pakistan’s High Courts and Supreme Court had “cleared” him despite the accusations. He also commented in an indirect jibe against Aiyar, "I regret that India does not accept the courts or the law (of Pakistan). They are not even ready to accept Pakistan."

Aiyar dismissing Saeed's allegation said that he accepted Pakistan a lakh per cent" and added, "We do not want Pakistan to be split up or be destroyed. We want Pakistan to be strong, prosperous and we want friendship with Pakistan. We want to face the world shoulder-to-shoulder with Pakistan and not oppose each other."

This is the moment in which, Saeed lost his cool and started speaking in a raised voice only to be eventually cut off by the host. Saeed said then that if Aiyar accepted Pakistan, then he should accept the verdicts of Pakistani courts clearing him.

OneIndia News