Public appearance of Hafiz Saeed may be banned
Lahore, Pakistan: The Federal government of Pakistan is considering banning public appearance of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, claim sources.
According to sources, the federal government is considering to ban public appearance of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed due to international diplomatic pressure. Ban on public appearance may be clubbed with ban on publication and broadcasting of his statements in print as well as in electronic media.
Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is a co-founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) and the chief of Jama’at-ud-Da’wah— an organisation that contributes in philanthropist activities within Pakistan. Lashkar-e-Taiba was placed under US sanctions on April 3, 2012 and US also offered a $10m (£6.2m) bounty for the arrest Hafiz Mohammad Saeed who lives in Lahore Pakistan.
In December 2008, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was listed under UN terrorist group list as part of Resolution 1267. UN sanction committee indicated that LET was placed under the terrorist organisation list as it was allegedly raising tensions between India and Pakistan— two nuclear arch rivals and neighbours in South Asia.
In April 2012, the United States announced a bounty of $10 million on Hafiz Saeed, for his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Meanwhile, India considers Hafiz Saeed as one of its most wanted terrorists because of his alleged ties with Lashkar-e-Taiba. He is listed on the NIA Most Wanted list and India has banned his organisation as a terrorist organisation.
Meanwhile, United Kingdom, the European Union, Russia and and Australia have also banned LET.
“There is tremendous pressure from foreign countries to ban Hafiz Saeed whose statements and sermons regularly appear in Pakistan press against India, United States and other western countries. Pakistan faces serious problem to promote its resolve against terrorism at international forums because anti-Pakistan elements allege that Pakistan is waging “selective war against terrorists” and is harbouring people who are linked with organisations listed as international terrorist organisations.
It may be mentioned that Hafiz Saeed has not been announced as international terrorist by United Nations but his previous organisation had been placed under the list of terrorist organisation.
Now Hafiz Saeed is operating as the chief of Jama’at-ud-Da’wah—a new organisation after the international ban clamped on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET).