The founder of a religious group blacklisted by the United Nations for terrorism said yesterday that he had filed a court petition to halt government plans to seize control of his charities.
Hafiz Saeed is the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or Army of the Pure, blamed by the United States and India for four days of shootings and bombings in Mumbai in 2008 that killed 166 people.
The LeT, Saeed and charities that he controls are all included on terrorism blacklists by the UN Security Council and the United States.
He denies any role in the Mumbai attacks and says he and his charities have no links to militants.
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that his government will push ahead with a plan to take control of charities linked to Saeed (see lead story).
Pakistan’s government placed Saeed under house arrest a year ago, but he was released in November after a court ruled that there was no evidence to hold him.
“We have filed a writ petition in the high court regarding (media reports) about the government’s measures (against us) or the United Nations delegation arriving here,” Saeed said in a press conference in the eastern city of Lahore, where his charities are based.
He said that any government move against him would be carrying out the will of the United States and India.
Saeed insists that his charities have broken no laws, and offered to allow the UN team to visit projects they run.
“Any delegation from any corner of the world can visit there,” he said. “All of our work across Pakistan can be checked. We are not doing anything illegal.”
Saeed: All of our work across Pakistan can be checked. We are not doing anything illegal.
