The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday adjourned till January 18 hearing of a petition of Jamatud Dawa Chief Hafiz Saeed seeking court directions to the government to defend him as a citizen of Pakistan in a US court in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case. A US court had issued summons to Hafiz Saeed, ISI’s incumbent chief and other officials on a law suit filed by relatives of US nationals killed in Mumbai attacks. Saeed’s counsel, AK Dogar, requested Justice Umar Ata Bandial to adjourn the matter till January due to his other engagements. The judge asked Ministry of Interior government of Pakistan Counsel Araf Chaudhry, present in court, whether he had any objection to long adjournments. Araf said he did not and the matter was deferred till January 18. Hafiz said he was entitled to be defended by lawyers of the government of Pakistan because he, being a citizen of the country, should be given legal aid in the American court like others, including the officials of secret agencies.
