Imran Khan’s party takes a dig at Bilawal Bhutto over extradition comments, calls him ‘politically immature’

Islamabad: In a recent interview with a news organisation, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari suggested that Pakistan may consider extraditing “individuals of concern” to India as part of broader dialogue efforts, particularly concerning terrorism. When asked about the possibility of handing over Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammad head Masood Azhar, Bilawal said that such gestures could be part of confidence-building measures in a comprehensive dialogue with India.

He added that both Saeed and Azhar are already banned by Pakistan’s National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), noting Saeed is currently serving a 33-year prison sentence for terror financing, while Azhar is believed to be in Afghanistan.

Bilawal’s comments triggered a sharp reaction from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), whose spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram called the PPP leader an “immature political child.” In a statement published by Dawn, Akram accused Bilawal of lacking political vision and misunderstanding regional geopolitics.

He said Bilawal’s remarks not only undermine Pakistan’s national security narrative but also embarrass the country on global platforms. “Why is Bilawal so eager to please India?” Akram questioned, claiming the PPP leader was betraying the legacy of his grandfather, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who built the party’s foundation on the Kashmir issue.

Bilawal clarified in the interview that while Pakistan had prosecuted these individuals for domestic offences like terror financing, trying them for cross-border terrorism remained difficult due to India’s “noncompliance” in providing witnesses and evidence. He said India must be willing to cooperate with legal proceedings in Pakistani courts to enable any extradition.

When asked about the current status of the two terror figures, Bilawal said Hafiz Saeed was incarcerated, and Masood Azhar was believed by Pakistani authorities to be in Afghanistan.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stated that the cases being pursued against certain individuals were primarily linked to domestic issues such as terrorist financing. However, he acknowledged the difficulty in prosecuting them for cross-border terrorism, attributing the challenge to what he described as a lack of cooperation from India.

“India is refusing to comply with fundamental requirements necessary for securing convictions,” he said. Bilawal emphasised the importance of presenting evidence in court, including Indian witnesses travelling to testify and withstanding potential counterclaims.

He added, “If India is willing to cooperate with the legal process, there would be no obstacle to extraditing any individual of concern.”