In a setback to the government crackdown on Hafiz Saeed’s Jamaatud Dawa, Lahore High Court on Thursday ordered government authorities to not harass JuD's Chief Hafiz Saeed and allow him to continue his social welfare activities till last week of April.
Pakistani authorities had taken over Falah-i-Insaaniyat Foundation (FIF), the charity wing of JuD in February ahead of the Financial Task Force (FATF) meeting in Paris which had put Pakistan on the grey list. Schhols and ambulances and health centers working under JuD were confiscated and put under government control. Earlier in January JuD was declared as banned organization but its name was not put in the schedule 1 which then makes it mandatory to arrest Hafiz Saeed being the organization’s chief.
Hafiz Saeed has been declared a global terrorist by the UN, US and India following his involvement in the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks.
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Justice Ameenud Din after hearing the preliminary arguments by petitioner Hafiz Saeed’s lawyer AK Dogar directed the authorities to submit their responses on the JuD leader's petition by April 23. Hafiz Saeed in his petition said that action against JuD and FIF is being done under pressure from the US and India. The government denies the accusation.
Saeed alleged in his petition that the government was interfering in his party's welfare projects because it had bowed down to pressure from India and the United States.
AK Dogar, representing Hafiz Saeed argued that the case is of sensitive nature and the court should form a larger bench.
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Justice Ameenuddin issued notices to the federal and provincial governments again, directing them to file their replies. The hearing was subsequently adjourned until April 23.