JuD chief Hafiz Saeed woos Pak Sikhs ahead of polls

Lahore: Mumbai terror attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed has met Pakistani Sikhs in a bid to woo them for furthering his anti-India agenda and seek their support for his newly formed political party in the upcoming general elections.

Saeed held a “special meeting” on Friday with a group of Pakistani Sikhs in Nankana Sahib where a large number of Sikhs reside.

The Milli Muslim League (MML) chief Saifullah Khalid accompanied Saeed to the meeting with Sikh leaders. The MML is the political face of Jamaat-ud-Dawah. It has so far not been registered by Pakistan’s election commission on the objection of the home ministry.

Saeed held the meeting with the Sikh group led by Pakistan Sikh Gurd-wara Parbandhak Comm-ittee (PSGPC) secretary general Gopal Singh Chawla at the JuD office in Nankana Sahib, some 80 kms from Lahore.

“Sikhs are a brave community but atrocities are being committed against it in India,” Saeed claim-ed. He said the Pakistan government was not raising a voice because it wanted India’s friendship.

“Pakistan is ready to sacrifice anything for the sake of seeking friendship with India,” he claimed.

The JuD head, who carries a $10 million American bounty for his role in terror activities, is the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people were killed.

“We want the support of your community across the country,” MML chief Khalid said.

The MML intends to field candidates in most constituencies in the country despite not being registered with the election commission.

General elections are scheduled to be held in Pakistan in July this year.

When asked about the motive of Saeed's visit to Nankana Sahib, Ahmad Nadeem, a spokesman for JuD, told PTI it was a routine one.