Pak’s ambivalence in cracking down on Saeed clear : NYT

New York, Sep.19 (ANI) : Pakistani authorities may have filed cases against Lashkar -e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafeez Mohammad Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, but Islamabad’s actions are being considered as a mere ‘hogwash’.

The New York Times, while reporting the actions taken against Saeed, said the ambivalence of Pakistani authorities in cracking down on the LeT’s fouder leader was clear.

The newspaper highlighted that the Pakistan government has never been serious regarding putting a check on Saeed and his covert terror activities being run under the LeT’s charity organization Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD).

“Even after he was placed under house arrest in December, the government took steps to soften the blow, allowing him, for instance, to hold a defiant news conference before his confinement began,” it said.

While the Pakistan government has been maintaining that it is seriously carrying out the probe regarding the 26/11 massacre, and tried to show the same to the international community especially the US by booking Saeed under the anti-terrorism act, its ‘bluff’ was laid bare when Saeed’s lawyer disclosed that the case registered against his client were ‘very weak’.

“I have gone through both the FIRs against Saeed thoroughly. The charges against my client are very weak. He has expressed his views like any other Pakistani,” Saeed’s lawyer AK Dongar told a private television channel.

Pakistani authorities also revealed that they have not received any instructions for arresting Saeed despite the registration of two cases against him. (ANI)

JuD activities continue in Pakistan despite UNSC ban

Lahore, Jan.11 (ANI): Pakistan’s tall claims of carrying out a severe crack down on the banned terrorist outfit Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD) seems to be a mere ‘hogwash’, as the outfit continues to run a vast network of hundreds of schools, colleges, healthcare centres, hospitals, as well as seminaries across Pakistan, without facing any restrictions.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) imposed a ban on the JuD while declaring it a terrorist organization on December 10, 2008, for its involvement in the November 26, Mumbai terror attacks, but most of the organisation’s center can be seen working as they did earlier.

The sprawling Muridke headquarters of the JuD, on the outskirts of Lahore, and spanning over 200 acres, is still open for all practical purposes and bustles with activities, The News reported.

The effect of the ban, and the crackdown can be gauged from the fact that Hafiz Saeed, the JuD leader, who was put under house arrest by the authorities, continues to move freely in organization’s strong hold areas such as Muridke, and Markaz.

Hafiz Saeed was allowed to leave his Johar Town residence in Lahore and travel to a nearby mosque hardly three days after he was put under house arrest.

There seems to be a least effect of the ban on the JuD activities as it recently organised a rally to condemn the banning of the organisation as a terrorist group.

Incidentally, the police personnel who should have been busy in truncating the wings of the organization were seen escorting the rally.

The JuD spokesman, Abdullah Muntazir, continues to issue statements despite government’s ‘strict’ directives, is a testimony to Pakistan’s devotion towards suppressing the activities of the group.

However, a Pakistan Interior Ministry spokesman said that Paksitan is fully devoted towards cracking down on the Jud and implement UNSC’s ban.

“Besides placing the top JuD leadership under house arrest, the Cyber Crime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had also shut down both the Urdu and English language websites of the organization,” The News quoted the spokesman,as saying.ANI)