Pak court orders release of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed
November 22, 2017
Lahore High today adjourned Jamaat- ud -Dawa chief Hafiz Sayeed’s detention case to December 6th.
On January 31, Saeed and his four aides – Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain – were detained by the Punjab government for 90 days under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 and the Fourth Schedule of Anti- Terrorism Act 1997.
Last month, Pakistan’s judicial review board had extended Hafiz Sayeed’s house arrest by 30 days.
The Pakistan government had withdrawn Jamaat- ud -Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Sayeed’s detention papers before the Supreme Court last month, but later told the judicial body that Pakistan could attract international sanctions if he is released.
The court had later said the JuD chief would be released if the Pakistan government did not provide proof relating to his detention.
“The conduct of the government shows it has no substantial evidence against the petitioners. The detention of the petitioners will be set aside if no concrete evidence is presented before the court,” Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi had said.
The JuD has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States in June 2014. India has accused Hafiz of being the principal mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks in which over 160 people were killed.
The US has announced a $10 million bounty on Saeed’s head for his role in terror activities.(Agencies)
