The interior ministry submitted that JuD Chief Hafiz Saeed was detained in his house for being risky to peace efforts and was detained over international pressure. Hafiz Saeed was produced before the court under high security arrangements. The Board gave time to Hafiz Saeed for his defence.
Hafiz Saeed said he criticised the government over Kashmir issue and it asked to adopt clear-cut stance on it. He said he was being punished just for running a movement for the Kashmir cause. Father of the nation Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah also declared Kashmir as 'Jugular Vein' of Pakistan, said Hafiz Saeed. He also said they were running movements for Burhan Wani, a freedom fighter, who was martyred for freedom of Indian-held Kashmir. His organisations took part in welfare work and audit of its financial matters is carried out for transparency, he said. The federal government's lawyer also argued on his detention.
On May 11, the LHC had expressed displeasure over extension in detention of Jamatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and his five aides for another 90 days in a petition challenging their extension.
The court had asked the law officer to present order of the review board, if any, in this matter on next date of hearing on May 16. On January 28, the Punjab government placed names of Hafiz Saeed, Abdullah Ubaid (Faisalabad), Malik Zafar Iqbal Shahbaz (Markaz Tayyaba Muridke), Abdul Rehman Abid (Markaz Tayyaba Muridke) and Qazi Kashif Hussain of Multan in fourth schedule of Anti Terrorism Act and on February 30 put them under detention for 90 days.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017