Pakistan Open to Extradition Talks, Cites India’s ‘Noncompliance’ on Cross-Border Terrorism

Pakistan’s former Foreign Minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has indicated that Islamabad would be open to extraditing individuals India wants, provided New Delhi demonstrates a genuine willingness to cooperate. In an interview with Al Jazeera on July 4, 2025, Mr. Bhutto Zardari described such extraditions as potential confidence-building measures within the broader framework of bilateral dialogue.

Responding to questions about the possible extradition of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, both of whom are designated global terrorists, Mr. Bhutto Zardari said, “As part of a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan, where terrorism is one of the issues that we discuss, I am sure Pakistan would not be opposed to any of these things.”

He stressed, however, that meaningful cooperation from India would be a prerequisite. While both LeT and JeM are officially banned in Pakistan and listed under the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), Mr. Bhutto Zardari noted that legal proceedings against Saeed and Azhar have so far pertained only to Pakistan-specific charges, such as terrorist financing.

Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, is currently serving a 33-year sentence in Pakistan for terror financing. At the same time, Masood Azhar, also a UN-designated terrorist, remains proscribed by Pakistani authorities. Mr. Bhutto Zardari claimed that prosecuting them for cross-border terrorism has been difficult due to what he described as a lack of cooperation and “noncompliance” from India.

His remarks come amid renewed international scrutiny on regional security and counterterrorism efforts, as both countries face growing pressure to address long standing issues through diplomatic channels.