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

September 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

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)

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US Ambassador meets Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Update- US Ambassador)

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sept 18 (ANI): The United States Ambassador to India, Timothy J Roemer, today met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at his residence.

The meeting took place after Roemer met Union Home Minister P. hidambaram.

Speaking to reporters, after a meeting with Chidambaram, Roemer said bringing the culprits to justice and going after Saeed were important to both India and the United States.

“Swift and mighty punishment for the six Mumbai suspects in Islamabad, is important for United States and is important for India. And going after Saeed is very important and dismantling the infrastructure of LeT in that region is extremely important to the United States and to India,” said Roemer.

The meeting took after reports of two FIR’s against Saeed came late last night.

He has been charged under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act for making anti-state speeches where he urged activists of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the frontline organisation for LeT that he heads, to wage a ‘jehad’.

Saeed has also been charged for heading a charity collection drive during the Ramazan month according to the police.

Earlier, Roemer had called on Pakistan to take action against Saeed.

“There are five, probably six, suspects currently being held in Islamabad in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. It is extremely important that these six people be brought to justice and put behind bars and receive sentences commensurate with their crimes against India, US and the world,” a news channel quoted Roemer, as saying

“I hope that in future the action on 26/11 includes people like Hafiz Saeed. Recently he was put into an Interpol red flag list,” he added.

The remarks follows Chidambaram’s visit to US, where he had briefed several ministers under the Barack Obama administration about Islamabad’s inaction against perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage.

The attacks, which drew widespread condemnation across the world, began on 26 November 2008 and lasted until 29 November, killing at least 173 people and wounding at least 308. Among the dead were 28 foreign nationals from 10 countries.

Ajmal Amir Kasab, the only attacker who was captured alive, has disclosed that the attackers were members of LeT, which is considered a terrorist organization by the Government of India, the United States, and the United Kingdom, among others.

Interpol has also issued a Red Corner Notice against Saeed, and Zaki -ur- Rehman Lakhvi (another mastermind of the 26/11 attacks). The notice was issued after a Mumbai court issued non-bailable warrants against both terrorists. (ANI)

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US Ambassador Roemer calls for action against Hafiz Saeed

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sept 18 (ANI): Pressurising Pakistan, the United States said it wanted swift and mighty punishment against the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Speaking to reporters, after a meeting with Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram, the United States Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer said, bringing the culprits to justice and going after Saeed were important to both India and the United States.

The meeting took after reports of two FIR’s against Saeed came late last night.

Saeed has also been charged for heading a charity collection drive during the Ramazan month according to the police.

Earlier, Roemer had called on Pakistan to take action against Saeed.

“I hope that in future the action on 26/11 includes people like Hafiz Saeed. Recently he was put into an Interpol red flag list,” he added.

The remarks follows Chidambaram’s visit to US, where he had briefed several ministers under the Barack Obama administration about Islamabad’s inaction against perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage.

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Indo-Pak Foreign Secy level talks in September: Pak FO

August 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Aug.29 (ANI): The Indo-Pak Foreign Secretary level talks will be held in mid September in New York, the Pakistan Foreign Office has said.

According to sources, India Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will meet her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir on the margins of the 64th UN General Assembly.

Sources said the prime focus in the meeting would be on preparing the agenda for the forthcoming talks between the Foreign Ministers of both countries.

The date and venue for the talks is yet to be finalized, The Dawn reports.

Pakistan’s dilly dallying attitude over prosecuting Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD) chief Hafeez Mohammad Saeed, the prime accused in the 26/11 Mumbai carnage, has cast a shadow over the much awaited dialogue between India and Pakistan.

It may be recalled that the Secretary level talks between both countries in Sharm-el-Sheikh on the margins of the NAM summit had failed to produce any substantial results.

Despite some initial positive signals, the talks which were expected to set the tone of the meeting between Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh with his Pakistan counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani, failed to achieve any major breakthrough.

Diplomatic analysts, who are keeping a close watch on the developments, believed that the success of the secretary level talks was directly related to the resumption of the stalled composite dialogue, but for the time being neither country has revealed the future course of action.

Mixed signals coming from Islamabad on the appeal in the Supreme Court against the release of Saeed seem to have done the real damage. (ANI)

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Interpol to assist Indian Government, set to issue notice against Hafiz Saeed

August 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Aug.23 (ANI): The Indian Government has reportedly approached Interpol and requested it to issue a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

Sources said that they expect the RCN to be issued some time next week, possibly by Tuesday.

The request from New Delhi is reported to have been made in the wake of a Pakistan court ordering the release of Saeed from nine months of house arrest on grounds that there was insufficient evidence to detain him in connection with his role in the 26/11 massacre in Mumbai that claimed nearly 170 lives and maimed more than 300.

Officials in New Delhi are reportedly of the view that Saeed should be chargesheeted and prosecuted for masterminding the Mumbai carnage on the basis of the six documents of evidence that they have handed over to the Pakistan Government through diplomatic channels.

Government sources said that the CBI, which acts as the nodal agency for all dealings with Interpol, has already written to the world police body, based on the 26/11 chargesheet, to get an RCN issued against Saeed who was let off by the Lahore High Court as Islamabad didn’t press charges against him.

Interpol issues an RCN against any accused after it receives all information and evidence against him from the country in which the crime has been committed.

The RCN will be issued on the basis of the non-bailable warrant issued against Saeed by a Mumbai court earlier and also all the evidences gathered against him by the Mumbai police.

According to the Mumbai police, Saeed is among the 35 people who provided training to all the terrorists who executed 26/11.

Pakistan has defended its refusal to act against Saeed by saying that India has not given evidence against him. (ANI)

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Pak refuses to arrest Saeed saying ‘not enough proof’ of his involvement in 26/11

July 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Lahore, July 28 (ANI): Pakistan has denied arresting Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, in connection with the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Interior Advisor Rehman Malik said there is ‘not enough proof’ of Saeed’s involvement in the 26/11 carnage, so the alleged mastermind could not be put behind bars.

Malik said Islamabad has asked New Delhi to provide details of Indian citizens convicted in the Mumbai attacks, The Daily Times reports.

It may be noted that a full bench of the Lahore High Court ordered the release from house arrest of Saeed, the prime accused of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, on the basis of a habeas corpus petition filed by his lawyer. The high court said that it had not received substantial evidence to continue his detention.

The Lahore High Court also ordered the release of another Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader, Colonel (retired) Nazir Ahmad.

Saeed was put under house arrest on December 11 last year, and his release was made after five months and 20 days.

Pakistan Attorney General had earlier told the Lahore High Court, that the government had enough proof against Saeed to warrant extension of his arrest, but could not produce that evidence in court. He had also said that Saeed had undeniable links with the Al Qaeda. (ANI)

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Pak govt. seeks adjournment of hearing of Saeed case

July 16, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, July 16 (ANI): The Pakistan government has requested the Supreme Court to suspend the hearing of the detention of Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD) chief Hafeez Mohammad Saeed for a week.

It cited the unavailability of Attorney General, Sardar Latif Khosa as the reason for the request, the Dawn reports.

“We have filed an application with a request to the Supreme Court that the attorney general wants to plead the government’s point of view himself because it is an important case having far reaching implications, but he is not available on Thursday when the case will be taken up,” said the Deputy Attorney General, Shah Khawar.

However, the apex court declined to accept the application immediately. It is believed that it will ultimately accept the request.

The court directed the attorney general to inform the Punjab government and Hafiz Saeed’s counsel about the proposal. (ANI)

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India, Pak foreign secretaries burn midnight oil to find common ground

July 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Sharm-el-Sheikh (Egypt), July 15 (ANI): Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan – Shiv Shankar Menon and Salman Basheer – burnt the midnight oil on Tuesday to try to work out some kind of framework to lay the ground for the resumption of talks between the two countries.

Mandated by their respective Prime Ministers’ – Dr. Manmohan Singh and Yousuf Raza Gilani-to work out the modalities before the two heads of government meet on Thursday (July 16). Menon and Basheer interacted with each other without the assistance of aides late into the night.

The 90-minute meeting took place soon after the Indian delegation landed here from Paris after attending the French National Day celebrations there.

According to senior officials, the discussions between the two were good and detailed, and both agreed to meet again on Wednesday on the sidelines of the XVth Non-Aligned Summit that opens in this Red Sea resort today.

There were suggestions of some movement being made by both sides on the issue of terrorism and the possibility of a joint media appearance by the Prime Ministers’ of the two countries after they hear from their respective foreign secretaries.

Menon and Basheer are believed to have discussed the progress made by Islamabad in its probe into the 26/11 strikes and the steps taken to dismantle the terrorism infrastructure on its soil.

Menon and Basheer’s discussions are also believed to have covered Pakistan’s flip-flop over the arrest and release of Sayeed and the withdrawal of petitions challenging his release from the Supreme Court.

Ahead of the meeting between the two foreign secretaries and the two Prime Ministers’, Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has demanded a “visible response” and undertaking from Pakistan on bringing the perpetrators of Mumbai terror attacks to justice.

Prime Minister Gilani, who also arrived here on Tuesday, has said that he will approach his meeting with Dr. Singh with an “open heart and a positive mind.”

But he refused to comment on the Punjab provincial government’s decision to withdraw the petitions that challenged last month’s release from house arrest of Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed.

Tuesday night’s talks come four days after Pakistan handed over a fresh dossier on its probe into the Mumbai terror attacks to India.

The dossier, handed over to the Indian High Commission officials in Islamabad on Saturday, identifies 13 new suspects and gives an update on Pakistan’s investigations into the November 26 attacks, sources said.

After Prime Minister Singh’s disclosure on Saturday that ISI chief Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha had met some Indian High Commission officials in Islamabad, speculation are rife about the powerful spy agency’s influence on the talks process.

At present, the Indian side is unwilling to hazard a guess on whether the ISI will be a part of the talks.

There is, however, a hope on the Indian side about some kind of commitment being made by Pakistan to bring the Mumbai terror accused quickly to justice and to stop the use of Pakistani soil for terror acts against India.

The Pakistani side is of the view that the composite dialogue process should not be held hostage to one case. (ANI)

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Pak govt. may file fresh petition against Saeed to ‘showcase its commitment’

July 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Lahore, July 15 (ANI): It seems that the threat of adverse international reaction over the failure of the Pakistani government to detain the Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, the prime accused in the November 2008 Mumbai terror strikes may see the federal government file a fresh petition against him, even if the Punjab government decides to withdraw its case.

The provincial government, on Tuesday (July 14) had said that it lacks evidence against Saeed, so it was difficult for it to continue the case.

Punjab Advocate General, Raza Farooq told the Supreme Court that the government had instructed him to withdraw the petition.

Legal experts said the federal government can not challenge the provincial government if the later decides to withdraw the petition.

“If Punjab believes that it does not have sufficient grounds to challenge the high court’s verdict, the federal government will have no legal basis to keep pursuing the appeal as it exists now,” The Dawn quoted a senior lawyer, as saying.

Experts said the federal government may file a fresh petition, or work through some other law to keep Saeed behind bars, as his release could severely damage Islamabad’s image internationally.

“The federal authorities, therefore, may invoke some law that allows it to hold and arrest Saeed without having to involve the provincial government which somehow seems reluctant to take action against him,” said a top official on conditions of anonymity.

“The laws that the federal government may invoke will have a much larger and could cover his activities allegedly injurious to both internal and external order,” he added.

However, former Attorney General, Malik Qayyum said that the federal government does not have powers to detain anyone, which only the provincial government can.

“Detention is meant to prevent someone from doing something. This is exclusively the provincial domain. Still the federal government can arrest people for acts they have already allegedly committed,” said Qayyum. (ANI)

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Pak Punjab Govt has ‘confidential evidence’ against Saeed, withdraws case

July 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, July 14 (ANI): The government in Pakistan’s Punjab province has decided to disassociate itself from the Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed case and filed a plea for its withdrawal.

On Monday, the provincial government informed the Supreme Court that it has challenged the release of Saeed due to certain “confidential evidence” against him.

According to Punjab Advocate General Raza Farooq, Saeed was put under house arrest on the directive of the federal government, which failed to provide solid evidence to maintain his house arrest.

Therefore, Farooq said the Punjab Government has decided to disassociate itself from the case and a petition for withdrawal has been filed with the Supreme Court.

Farooq on Monday told the three-member bench hearing pleas against a Lahore High Court (LHC) decision to release Saeed and Colonel (retired) Nazir Ahmed that Saeed was detained under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1961.

However, Section 3 was not mentioned in the detention order. The three-member bench consisting of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Muhammad Sair Ali and Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, asked the Punjab AG to satisfy the apex court, the Daily Times reports.

The AG said there was sufficient evidence against Saeed, but it could not be made part of the case record because it was confidential.

Farooq also submitted that it was binding on the government to implement resolutions adopted by the UN.

He said the detention of Saeed had become necessary, as the UN had levelled allegations that Saeed was linked to Al Qaeda and was allegedly involved in some terror-related incidents at an international level.

The Pakistan and the Punjab Governments, through their petitions, requested the court to set aside the LHC decision of ending the detention of Saeed and Col (retired) Nazir Ahmed.

The petitions claimed the LHC had not considered the sensitivity of the case, especially in light of the prevailing security situation. (ANI)

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Pak editor blames India for fanning unrest in Balochistan

July 13, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Lahore, July 13 (ANI): A well known editor of a Pakistani newspaper has accused New Delhi of fanning unrest in Balochistan.

During a special programme on a private television channel, Daily Times Editor-in-Chief Najam Sethi blamed India for causing disturbances in Balochistan, and asked Islamabad to strongly protest against it.

“There is no doubt that India is involved in the unrest in Balochistan,” Sethi said.

Sethi also said that if New Delhi has any evidence against Jamaat-ud-Daawa chief Hafiz Saeed, then it should share this with Islamabad.

He said India did not have the support of other countries in the region.

“All the countries of the region are against India at present because it had initiated conflicts with all of them,” The Daily Times quoted Sethi, as saying.

Commenting on the proposed meeting between Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with his Indian counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh on the margins of the XVth NAM summit in Sharm-el-Sheikh on July 16, he said high hopes were tied to it.

He urged the leadership of both countries to change their mindsets and resolve all pending issues.

“The countries should renounce their traditional, confrontational attitudes and move towards dialogue to resolve their issues,” he said. (ANI)

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Pak SC to hear petitions challenging Saeed’s acquittal today

July 13, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, July 13 (ANI): The Pakistan Supreme Court would start the hearing into the two separate petitions filed by the Punjab government and the federal government respectively challenging the acquittal of the Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and Colonel (retired) Nazir Ahmed today (Monday).

Challenging the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) verdict to release both leaders, of the banned terror outfit, the petition states that the judgment had emphasised a “faulty assertion” that the detaining authority had no evidence to justify the detention of the accused, The Daily Times reports.

The petitions said that the LHC’s decision highlights that the court didn’t consider the sensitivity of the case, even when there is a massive terror threat looming over the country.

On June 2, a full bench of the Lahore High Court had ordered Saeed’s release from house arrest on the basis of a habeas corpus petition filed by his lawyer.

The high court said that it had not received substantial evidence to continue the detention of Saeed, the prime accused of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The court also ordered the release of Colonel (retired) Nazir Ahmad, one of the top leaders of the JuD.

Saeed was put under house arrest on December 11 last year, day after the JuD, the political wing of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was declared a terrorist group by the United Nations (UN). (ANI)

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Pak diplomatic circles not expecting ‘major breakthrough’ during Indo-Pak secretaries meet in Egypt

July 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, July 10 (ANI): Pakistan’s diplomatic circles are not expecting any major ‘breakthrough’ during the meeting of foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan on the margins of the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Egypt next week.

Diplomatic sources said that the failure of Pakistan to address India’s demand on Mumbai probe would certainly have an impact on the meet, which would be followed by a meeting between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Yousuf Raza Gilani.

“The situation is quite dicey, signals from India are not particularly positive,” The Dawn quoted diplomatic sources, as saying.

They opined that the talks between the foreign secretaries would be very important as they would ‘set the tone’ for the PM’s meet.

While Pakistan is trying hard to convince India that it is sincere in its probe regarding the Mumbai attack, the Indian leadership has made it clear that resumption of the stalled peace talks solely depend on Islamabad’s action against the perpetrators of the 26/11 carnage.

In an apparent bid to pacify India, the Pakistan government filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the release of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and appointed a judge in the Anti-Terrorism Court-II, in which the trial of the five accused of the Mumbai terror strikes is going on, but India has blamed Pakistan of sending ‘confusing signals’.

“The Indians have been telling us that they wanted to see the prosecution of the accused in Mumbai attacks, but our contention is that this would take quite some time and that their position is untenable,” sources added.

But they still believe that the meeting between Manmohan Singh and Gilani could result in something substantial.

“Politicians are capable of pulling off surprises,” they said. (ANI)

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Seminaries patronizing extremism in Pak: Sunni Ittehad Council

July 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Lahore, July 7 (ANI): Religious associations in Pakistan have raised fears about seminaries being used by the extremists as a store for their arms and ammunitions and planning attacks on important locations in the country.

The Sunni Ittehad Council, an association of some groups of the Barelvi school of thought, has said that seminaries are patronizing terrorism.

“Some seminaries are patronizing terrorists who are stockpiling lethal arms there,” The Dawn quoted Pir Afzal Qadri, as saying.

When asked to name some of such seminaries, pointing fingers towards banned organizations like the Jamaat-ud -Daawa (JuD) and Jaish-i-Mohammad (JM), Qadri said: “The organizations are being run by jihadi groups with lashkars.”

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of the council here, Qadri also charged the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government of supporting the extremists.

“Now they are spread across the country,” he said.

Qadri also asked the government to take immediate steps to stop the practice, and asked the PPP led government to exclude ‘patrons of terrorists’ from its peace committees.

He said that the government must take over all the seminaries to prevent the situation from going out of control.

“Extremists can harm the government if it shows any laxity in taking action against them,” Qadri said.

Member of National Assembly (MNA), Fazl Karim urged the government to continue the military offensive against the Taliban till extremism is rooted out from the country.

Karim opposed the idea of holding talks with the Taliban saying: “It is time for taking a decisive action.”

He also criticized the United States for carrying drone strikes in the tribal areas inside Pakistan’s territory.

“The country was facing internal threats from Taliban and external threats from the United States, which is continuously violating the sovereignty of Pakistan with drone attacks,” Karim said. (ANI)

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Pak government to file separate petition challenging Saeed’s acquittal

July 5, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, July 5 (ANI): Following the Punjab government’s decision to challenge the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) verdict of releasing the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafeez Muhammad Saeed and Colonel (retired) Nazir Ahmad, both of whom are accused of masterminding the 26/11 Mumbai carnage, now the federal government has also decided to file a separate petition against the verdict.

The Pakistan government is likely to file the petition on Monday, July 6.

“We are filing the appeal because we are not satisfied with the order of the LHC. The federal government’s challenge was almost ready, but it could not file the petition on Saturday as the representative of Punjab government was not available on time,” The Dawn quoted the Deputy Advocate General, Shah Khawar, as saying.

On June 2, a full bench of the Lahore High Court had ordered Saeed’s release from house arrest on the basis of a habeas corpus petition filed by his lawyer.

The high court said that it had not received substantial evidence to continue the detention of Saeed, the prime accused of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The court also ordered the release of another JuD leader Colonel (retired) Nazir Ahmad.

Saeed was put under house arrest on December 11 last year, day after the JuD, the political wing of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was declared a terrorist group by the United Nations (UN). (ANI)

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JuD expanding operations, recruiting in PoK

July 1, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Lahore, July 1 (ANI): The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), the political wing of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), is expanding its operations, and carrying out recruitment drives in the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), police has said.

According to a secret report submitted to the Pakistan government, the JuD is planning to set up mosques, schools and dispensaries in the region and has already bought a vast piece of land in the Dulai area of Muzaffarabad.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the region, Javed Iqbal said that the authorities were closely monitoring the JuD’s activities.

However, the Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, denied any such ‘secret’ report being shared with the government.

“No such report has come before the government claiming these organisations have revived their activities,” The Daily Times quoted Kaira, as saying. (ANI)

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JuD has links with Al-Qaeda: Pak Attorney General

May 30, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, May 30 (ANI): Pakistan Attorney General Sardar Latif Khosa has said that the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) has links with Al-Qaeda, and at least one of the culprit involved in the November 2008 Mumbai attacks is associated with the JuD, The News reports.

Presenting secret documents before the Lahore High Court (LHC) with regard to the house-arrest case of JuD chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, Khosa said the documents were related with the national security, and therefore is being tabled in a closed door session.

Saeed’s counsel AK Dogar, however, objected to close door proceedings of the court and demanded that the documents should be presented in an open session and in the presence of Saeed.

Earlier, the LHC preserved its verdict in the Saeed detention case saying it would be made public later.

It may be noted that Khosa recently told the LHC that the government had ‘enough material’ against the JuD leaders to prove that they have been involved in terror activities, but it could not produce it before a court of law. (ANI)

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India condemns participation of banned terrorist outfits in Pak rally

February 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Feb 6 (ANI): India has strongly condemned the license given to banned terrorist organisations on territory under Pakistan control.

Speaking to reporters here last evening, Vishnu Prakash, the spokesman of Ministry of External Affairs, said that reports of participation of banned terror outfits like Jaish-e-Muhammad, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Jamat-ud-Dawa at a rally in Pakistan occupied Kashmir showed the laxity of authorities in Pakistan.

“We have seen reports that representatives of terrorist groups Jaish-e-Muhammad, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Jamat-ud-Dawa participated in a public meeting at Muzaffarabad in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. No effort was made by the authorities to curb the activities of these groups,” said Vishnu Prakash.

Prakash also said that the month-old advisory that Pakistan is not safe for travel would remain valid as two Indian journalists had been roughed up in Lahore.

“The concerns, which led to the travel advisory of December 26, 2008 still very much exist. Indian nationals are advised that it would be unsafe for them to travel or be in Pakistan,” he added.

Meanwhile, a UN Security Council Committee has added four more Lashkar leaders to a list of people and groups facing sanctions for ties to al Qaeda or the Taliban.

The sanctions also covered what the committee said was a front for the LeT, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD). (ANI)

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Banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa resurfaces in Pakistan

February 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Lahore, Feb 6 (ANI): Thousands of supporters of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the charity arm of terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, held a ‘Kashmir Solidarity Conference’ on The Mall, despite a UN ban on the organisation.

Participants arriving from various districts held black and white JuD flags and shouted their usual slogans. They had gathered under a ‘temporary’ new name, Tehrik-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir (TAK).

The banned charity agreed on the name in a meeting of its divisional leaders from across the country at the Markazul Qadsia in Chauburji on Sunday, the Daily Times quoted sources privy to the meeting, as saying.

A permanent new name has not been finalised as the group continues activism on various issues under various names, an operative said – for example, a movement to protest Israel’s attack on Gaza was named Tehrik-e-Qibla-e-Awwal.

Thursday’s rally was the first public gathering of supporters of the banned charity since the ban. A police contingent was deployed at the scene.

Operatives holding Dawa flags were deputed at various spots in the city to welcome supporters arriving from other districts and collect donations.

Receipts carried the name of the banned charity’s Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) trust, and the address: “Department of Revenue, Markazul Qadsia, Chauburji, Lahore”. Telephone numbers were also printed on the receipts.

“The FIF is a Jamaat-ud-Dawa trust but it has not been banned,” a member said.

Another FIF activist, who identified himself as Hamza, said the foundation was not linked to the banned charity and had been working for the independence of Kashmir for a long time. But he did not respond when asked why he was carrying a Dawa flag.

A spokesman for the banned organisation said most of the participants carried his outfit’s flags, but the TAK was a joint forum of various political and religious parties. He asked not to be named. (ANI)

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Pakistan cracks down JuD’s main headquarter

January 27, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Jan. 27 (ANI): The Government in Pakistan’s Punjab provincehas finally taken over the main headquarters of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa at Muridke.

An administrator has been appointed to oversee all institutions run by the UN-banned JuD. Apart from a regular monitoring of the hospitals, schools and other welfare bodies run by the institution, JuD’s main headquarters at Muridke have finally been taken over, The News reports.

Earlier, LeT’s terror camps were organized in this complex before being moved to Pakistan-administered Kashmir after a 2002 ban on the organization.

Now, a police post has been set up outside the JuD headquarters. Sources claim that the crackdown took some time due to clearance from senior figures.

This move indicates that the Pakistani Government does have some evidence of the LeT’s involvement in the Mumbai attacks. It is assumed that evidences from New Delhi have convinced Islamabad of Lashkar’s hands in the attacks. (ANI)

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