JuD Chief Hafiz Saeed running for office in Pakistan: US Concerns

The US has concerns about JuD chief Hafiz Saeed running for office in Pakistan in 2018. The Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head and LeT founder had earlier confirmed that his organisation Jammat-ud-Dawah will contest the 2018 general elections in Pakistan under the banner of the Milli Muslim League, which is yet to be registered with the Election Commission. “Saeed, who was released by Pakistan from house arrest last November resulting in angry reaction from the US, was the “mastermind” of the Mumbai terrorist attacks and is leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba,” State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said.

It’s a group that the US government considers to be a terror organisation. One of the things that happened recently was that this guy was held on house arrest. Pakistan released him from house arrest, and now there’s word that he may be running for some sort of office. Saeed, who has a $10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, was freed by Pakistan on November 24. He is a UN and US designated terrorist.

The US had also strongly condemned the release of the Lashkar-e-Taiba leader from house arrest and had called for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution. However, top Pakistani diplomats based in the US have said that there is no evidence against Saeed. The banned JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the Lashkar-e-Taiba which carried out the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people were killed.

By- Nikita Goel, Convenor, Student Reporter Committee, INBA