Pak Police Await Govt Instructions for Action against Saeed

For further action against Mumbai terror attacks mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, Pakistani police were waiting for instructions from the government. Saeed was put under house arrest after two cases were lodged against him under anti-terror law.

On Sunday, police imposed restrictions on Saeed’s movements following two cases were registered against him in Faisalabad city for delivering speeches in which he reportedly roused people to wage jihad and sought funds for his outlawed organization.

Pervaiz Rathore, Lahore police chief, said that police were now waiting for instructions from the government on the further action against Saeed.
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“Either he will be handed over to police in Faisalabad in connection with the two cases registered against him there, or the cases will be transferred to Lahore,” informed Rathore.

“We are awaiting a decision by the authorities concerned,” he added.

Though Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had said on Tuesday that Saeed was “in custody” and Rathore maintained that he was under “house arrest”, any formal order for his detentions has yet not been issued by authorities.

It is believed that at the end of the three-day holidays for Eid-ul-Fitre, a formal order may be issued tomorrow.

In the meanwhile, Saeed’s counsel has said that he will challenge his client’s detention once courts reopen after the holidays.

It should be noted that it is for the first time that cases have been registered against Saeed under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997. In the past, he has been held under the Maintenance of Public Order ordinance, which allows authorities to detain persons for up to 90 days without charges.

Saeed was placed under house arrest in December last year after the UN Security Council declared the JuD a front for the banned Lashker-e-Taiba. He was freed on the orders of the Lahore High Court in June.

India has insisted that Pakistan should take action against Saeed for his alleged role in masterminding and executing the Mumbai attacks that killed nearly 180 people.