Barely two days after listing Hafiz Saeed under anti-terrorism act, Pakistan government has cancelled the licenses of 44 weapons issued to the Jamaat-ud Dawa chief and other members of his outfit.
“The Punjab home department cancelled licences of 44 weapons for security reasons,” a Pakistani official told reporters. “Action against Saeed has been taken in line with the government’s action against him and his organisations – the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and the Falaha-e-Insanyat (FIF),” he added.
Notedly, this is the third stringent step taken against the Mumbai attack mastermind, what is seen as a Pakistani acknowledgment of Saeed’s involvement in terror activities. Saeed and four men were placed under house arrest on 30 January 2017 in Lahore amid an angry uproar from his outfit and supporters.
According to the Punjab home department notification, “Both JuD and FIF are engaged in certain activities which could be prejudicial to peace and security and in violation of Pakistan’s obligations to the United Nations Security Council Resolution and both organisations have been placed in the Second Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.”
“Hafiz Saeed, Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Kashif Niazi are engaged in certain activities which could be prejudicial to peace and security.” Saeed, who carries a bounty of $10 million dollar, was placed under house arrest after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that claimed lives of 164 people. However, he was subsequently released by Lahore Court in 2009.
