NEW DELHI: Yasin Malik, the jailed chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), has informed the Delhi High Court that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed “gratitude” to him following Malik’s meeting with Hafiz Saeed, the chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba and the alleged mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks, in Pakistan in 2006. Malik contended that this meeting occurred at the suggestion of the then Union government, which aimed to promote the peace process in Jammu and Kashmir.
In 2022, Malik was sentenced to life imprisonment by a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in a case related to terror funding. His recent assertions are contained in an affidavit submitted in response to the NIA’s appeal to enhance his sentence to death.
In his affidavit, Malik detailed a “working relationship” with six successive Indian governments since 1990. He recounted that upon returning to Delhi from Pakistan, he was debriefed by Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau VK Joshi, who requested him to brief then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Malik stated he met Singh the same evening in the presence of National Security Adviser M K Narayanan, where he briefed the Prime Minister on his discussions and initiatives, and Singh conveyed his appreciation for Malik’s efforts, time, patience, and dedication.
