Interesting Charge!

Government accuses Hafiz Saeed of jeopardising foreign relations
* Says Jamaatud Daawa’s activities could be detrimental to public peace
Daily times, October 17, 2006
Staff Report

LAHORE: The government on Monday accused Jamaatud Daawa (JD) chief Hafiz Saeed of conducting activities that put Pakistan’s relations with “neighbouring countries” at risk.

The allegations were made against Hafiz Saeed in the Lahore High Court after a lawyer representing his family challenged the detention of the former leader of the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba, who was taken into custody in August.

Assistance Advocate General (AAG) Haneef Khatana presented Hafiz Saeed’s detention orders in court, which stated that JD had stepped up its activities, which could be detrimental to public peace and could have serious repercussions with reference to the stated position of Pakistan. It was also stated that Faisalabad and Multan police had reported that Hafiz Saeed was patronising collection of donation for war victims of Lebanon and Palestine, which were banned under the law.

The government also denied the allegation that Hafiz Saeed was not provided proper medical facilities and food. The court was told that Hafiz Saeed’s family was allowed to meet him frequently at Sheikhupura Rest House and he had also been allowed to lead Friday prayers at a place of his choice within Sheikhupura. Ahmed Ghazi, representing the JD chief, said that Hafiz Saeed was released at 8:30pm on August 28, but rearrested at 11pm. He asked if it was possible for anyone to campaign for donations so late at night in less than three hours. The judge asked the AAG why the government had decided to detain Hafiz Saeed instead of the people who were collecting donations.

Ghazi questioned the reasons for detention listed by the government in the detention orders and said that the government produced the detention orders on October 16 after 48 days. He said that the government should explain why it took a month and 18 days to disclose the detention orders.

The judge asked the AAG if it had really taken 48 days for the government to prepare the detention orders. The AAG replied that the detention orders were present ever since Hafiz Saeed was arrested. The judge asked the AAG if the home secretary would come to the court and would take oath that Hafiz Saeed’s detention orders were ready on August 28.

The judge also noted that Hafiz Saeed had been detained for 60 days, out of which 48 days had already passed and it seemed that the government was buying time to pass the remaining 12 days on one pretext or the other.