Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and his four aides have been put under house arrest in Lahore since Jan. 30 for “spreading terrorism in the name of jihad,” Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has told a judicial review board.
Saeed appeared before the board on Saturday and said that he had been detained by the government in order to stop him from raising his voice for the Kashmiris. However, the Interior Ministry rejected his arguments and told the three-member board that Saeed and his four aides have been detained for “spreading terrorism in the name of jihad.”
The board comprised Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan of the Supreme Court (head), Justice Ayesha A Malik of the Lahore High Court and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail of the Balochistan High Court.
The board directed the ministry to submit a complete record regarding detention of Saeed and his aides — Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid, Abdullah Ubaid and Qazi Kashif Niaz on next hearing on May 15.
The board also sought personal appearance of the Attorney General of Pakistan.
The police produced Saeed and his four aides before the board at Lahore registry of the apex court amid high security. A large number of Saeed’s supporters gathered outside the court.
Saeed’s counsel advocate A K Dogar was also present but the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chose to plead his case himself.
He said that he had been placed under house arrest.He appealed to the board to set aside the Punjab government’s detention order.
The board directed the Ministry to submit a complete record regarding detention of Saeed and his aides — Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid, Abdullah Ubaid and Qazi Kashif Niaz at the next hearing on May 15.
The board also sought the personal appearance of the Attorney General of Pakistan. The police produced Saeed and his four aides before the board at the Lahore registry of the apex court amid high security.
A large number of Saeed’s supporters gathered outside the court. Saeed’s counsel A.K. Dogar was also present but the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chose to plead his case himself.
He appealed to the board to set aside the Punjab government’s detention order.
