Over five years ago, Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) terrorist, Shahid Latif, who is reported to be the chief handler of the fidayeen squad that attacked the Pathankot airbase in January, was actually released by the UPA government in May 2010 in a goodwill gesture, reports Times Of India.
This development is likely to result in a major embarrassment for the Congress party and seriously dent its attack directed towards the Modi government of “messing up” while dealing with Pakistan on the Pathankot attack probe.
The Congress has accused the Centre of playing into its hands of Pakistan after it allowed a probe team from there to visit Pathankot air base.
Latif, who was languishing in Indian prison for over a decade was reportedly among the 25 terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and JeM who were released in May 2010 by the Manmohan Singh government in a bid to reach out to Pakistan.
#UPATerrorAmnesty: UPA released Pathankot handler in 2010, JeM handler released as a goodwill gesture. https://t.co/XmufUv84sE
— NewsX (@NewsX) May 17, 2016
Latif was sentenced to 16 years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 40,000 in 2003 for terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
The BJP’s leaders lashed out at the Congress over this issue:
Pathankot handler freed by UPA as a good will gesture in 2010. Now Congress finds fault with Pathankot episode handling by the government.
— M Venkaiah Naidu (@MVenkaiahNaidu) May 17, 2016
So the Pathankot handler &JeM terrorist Shahid Latif, was realeased from Indian Jail by the UPA govt in 2010 as a Good – Will gesture #Shame
— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) May 17, 2016
(Feature image source: PTI)
