SC allows Jamaatud Dawa to run charity operations

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday rejected the federal government’s appeal against a Lahore High Court (LHC) order allowing the Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed to continue their ‘welfare activities’.

An SC bench comprising Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood heard the Ministry of Interior’s plea.

JuD chief Hafiz Saeed had moved the court against the government sanctions following which the LHC had allowed the JuD and FIF to continue with their ‘welfare activities’ until the court reached a verdict.

The Ministry of Interior had moved the apex court against the LHC’s interim order.

The SC bench observed that the federal government was already a party to the case that the provincial top court was hearing and therefore, dismissed the plea.

Earlier, the ministry had contested that the interim order was creating a hindrance for the state to comply with local and international legal requirements.

Earlier in February, an order had been promulgated by the president which had amended the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997. The amendment had pertained to Sections 11-B and 11-EE.

The amendment was reportedly timed before the Financial Action Task Force meeting Paris.

Following the ordinance’s promulgation, all JuD and FIF properties in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, and 148 properties and assets in Punjab had been seized.

Saeed and others had then challenged the government’s seizures in the LHC.

The petitioners had contended that the country’s sovereignty was undermined following the presidential ordinance.