Pakistani court bars government from 'harassing' Hafiz Saeed

Islamabad, April 5: The Lahore High Court on Thursday ordered government authorities to not “harass” banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and allow him to continue his “social welfare activities”. The founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) alleged in a petition that the government was interfering in his party’s welfare projects because it had bowed down to pressure from India and the US, Dawn online reported. The petition argued that barring an organisation or party from indulging in charity work was against the Constitution.

Justice Ameenud Din Khan, who heard the petition filed by lawyer A.K. Dogar on Saeed’s behalf, also directed the authorities to submit their responses by April 23. Saeed had filed a nearly identical petition through Dogar before the same judge in March. That time, Justice Khan had directed the federal and provincial governments to submit their responses by April 27. After hearing Saeed’s arguments in Thursday’s hearing, Justice Khan issued notices to the federal and provincial governments again, directing them to file their replies. The hearing was subsequently adjourned until April 23. (IANS)