Former Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has sparked controversy by suggesting that Pakistan could potentially extradite terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India, provided India cooperates in securing convictions. This statement, made during an interview with Al Jazeera, has ignited a firestorm of reactions, both within Pakistan and from India.

Bhutto stated that Pakistan would be open to extraditing "individuals of concern" to India as a confidence-building measure, emphasizing the need for New Delhi's "willingness" to cooperate in the process. He was responding to a question regarding the extradition of Hafiz Saeed, the chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Masood Azhar, the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), as a potential gesture of good faith towards India. Bhutto added that in the context of a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan where terrorism is a key issue, Pakistan would likely not oppose such extraditions.

However, Bhutto's remarks have been met with strong opposition within Pakistan. Talha Saeed, son of Hafiz Saeed, has condemned Bhutto's statement, accusing him of siding with the enemy and acting against Pakistan's national interests. He went on to say that Bhutto's offer to hand over his father to India, a hostile country, is unacceptable. LeT-linked political groups have also rejected Bhutto's position, blaming India for spreading terrorism in Pakistan and neighboring regions.

From India's perspective, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has responded firmly, asserting that India is only willing to engage with Pakistan on the issue of terrorism. He emphasized that Pakistan must dismantle the terror networks it has nurtured and hand over Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India if it is serious about peace.

Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is currently serving a 33-year sentence in Pakistan for terror financing. Masood Azhar, a UN-designated global terrorist, has been linked to numerous major attacks in India, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot airbase assault, and the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing. He was released from Indian custody in 1999 as part of a hostage swap during the Indian Airlines Flight 814 Kandahar hijacking.

Despite being proscribed, these terrorists have been reported to roam freely within Pakistan and operate their outfits with impunity, allegedly with the backing of the Pakistani military establishment. While Masood Azhar is believed to be in Afghanistan, Pakistani authorities claim they have been unable to arrest him.

Experts suggest that Bhutto's statement may lack official backing and credibility, and could be a diplomatic signal or a distraction tactic by Pakistan. The offer has been described as "Delulu Diplomacy" and a "symbol of confusion".