JuD chief Hafiz Saeed spreading terrorism in name of jihad: Pakistan's interior ministry

Pakistan's interior ministry has told a judicial review board that five people including Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed have been detained for "spreading terrorism in the name of jihad".

I have been detained by the Pakistani government in order to stop me from raising voice for Kashmiris, Saeed said who appeared before the board on Saturday.

The interior ministry, however, rejected Saeed’s arguments and told the three-member board that he and his four aides have been detained for "spreading terrorism in the name of jihad".

The board then directed the ministry to submit a complete record regarding detention of Saeed and his aides - Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid, Abdullah Ubaid and Qazi Kashif Niaz on next hearing on May 15. The board consists of Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan of the Supreme Court (head), Justice Ayesha A Malik of Lahore High Court and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail of Balochistan High Court.

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Saeed and his four aides were produced amid high security by the police at Lahore registry of the apex court. His supporters were also gathered outside the court.

Saeed said, "The allegations levelled by the government against me had never been proved by any state institution. My organisation and I have been victimised for raising voice for freedom of Kashmir and criticising the government's weak policy on the Kashmir issue.”

Saeed appealed to the board to set aside the Punjab government's detention order. "The government detained the JuD leaders on pressure of United Nations and international organisations," an official representing the federal interior ministry told the board.

With inputs from PTI.

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