Lahore High Court sends notice to government over Hafiz Saeed detention

A High Court in Lahore on Wednesday issued notices to the governments at the centre and in Punjab to respond by March 7 over the preventive detention of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and his five aides.

A two-member bench of the Lahore High Court headed by Justice Sardar Shamim issued the notices on an application filed by Saeed and others who sought theirs immediate release while accusing the Pakistani government of taking decision under pressure from the U.S.

Saeed’s lawyer has filed the petition under Article 199 of the Constitution alleging that the government has illegally curtailed the right of freedom of Saeed and the five others. The lawyer said the government has not registered any case against them and pleaded the court to set them free.

Saeed and his aides were put under preventive detention and their names were put on the Exit Control list barring them from leaving the country. Their names were also put on the fourth schedule under Anti-Terrorism Act. On January 31, the JuD offices in Lahore were sealed and the outfit was put on the terrorist organisation watch list by the Ministry of Interior and the Home Department of Punjab.

Unlike in the past, Pakistan’s powerful military has thrown its weight behind the government. Military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said Saeed’s detention has the backing of the military and that it was a policy decision taken in national interest. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, while speaking at a security conference in Munich earlier this week said Saeed could pose a “serious threat” to the nation and that’s why he’s bee put under detention.

U.S. factor

The crackdown on the JuD happened after Pakistani media reported that the U.S. has called on Islamabad to take action against Saeed or face limited sanctions. Pakistani authorities, however, have denied that the decision was taken under U.S. pressure.

India had cautiously reacted to Saeed’s detention saying it wants to see concrete steps being taken by Pakistan in this regard. Saeed had been put under preventive detentions previously as well but always received a court reprieve.