I think the US State Department’s concerns regarding Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed’s public appearances, are quite fair and justified.
These are serious concerns and similar concerns were raised by the US State Department at the beginning of the year 2001 over the presence and activities of Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. But the then government of Afghanistan turned a deaf ear to US concerns like the current government of Pakistan.
According to the list established and maintained by the UN Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) with respect to individuals, groups, undertakings and other entities associated with Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) on 2 May 2005 for participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf or in support of”, “supplying, selling or transferring arms and related materiel to” or “otherwise supporting acts or activities of” Al-Qaeda was outlawed.
It has been financing terrorist activities and providing training, logistical and infrastructural support to further such activity through its front organisation, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JUD).
In the backdrop of Mumbai attacks 2008, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, was also listed on 10 December 2008 by the UN Security Council committee. The current democratic government has given equal opportunity to all political and religious forces to work without any hindrance. In fact, it has facilitated all these groups to foster political process in the country.
Whether Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is also enjoying the same protocol or is this another state-within-a-state like situation? The government needs to clarify its stance.
DR SAIFUR REHMAN
Islamabad