Pakistan will not arrest Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), despite the United States putting his name on the list of ‘most wanted terrorists’ and announcing a reward of $10 million for him. The United States has also announced a reward of $2 million for another senior leader of JuD, Hafiz Abdur Rehman Makki.
India has welcomed the US decision saying it had proven its position that Hafiz Saeed and his organization were involved in Mumbai attacks of November 2008 and other acts of terror. However, Pakistani authorities are unlikely to take any action against the JuD leaders unless they are given what they call sound evidence against Hafiz Saeed and his other aides’ involvement in terrorism. There was no formal reaction in Islamabad to the US decision, but a senior Pakistani official seeking anonymity said, “We cannot arrest our nationals on the basis of hearsay and to please India. If India and US have any undeniable evidence which can stand the scrutiny of a judicial process then they should share with us.”
Earlier, Interior Minister Rehman Malik told a private news channel that the government of Pakistan had not received any communication from US on Hafiz Saeed through formal diplomatic channels so he would not comment on this issue. The official, who requested not to be named, however, said, “Putting a bounty on the two people, in our judgment, is an exercise in utter futility and nothing more than becoming hostage to India’s machinations.” Meanwhile talking to Pakistan Today, JuD spokesman Yahya Mujahid said, “The US authorities have done this because they are angry and frustrated over strong public reaction to drone strikes and the likely reopening of NATO supply lines in Pakistan on the call of JUD.” He said, “The whole world knows that Hafiz Saeed and Abdur Rehman Makki are not hiding in caves and they are rather popular leaders of Pakistan. They are busy in welfare activities for the people of this country.”
He said, “JuD will not come under any pressure and such cowardly acts could not deter it from fighting for what it believes is right thing to do.” A diplomatic source said that the US decision to announce bounty on Hafiz Saeed could make the job of Pakistani government further difficult which is facing resistance inside the parliament and also on the roads outside against the likely reopening of NATO supplies. “This act by the United States is likely to harm further the stained ties between Islamabad and Washington,” he said, wishing not to be named.
Pakistan will not arrest Hafiz Saeed
