Islamabad: Jamat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed’s house arrest has been extended for another 30 days by a Judicial Review Board of Pakistan’s Punjab province after it reviewed the detention of the Mumbai attack mastermind.
The police on Thursday produced Saeed and his aides — Qazi Kashif Niaz, Prof. Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Abdullah Ubaid — before the board, while strict security measures have been taken in this regard.
The board, however, rejected the government’s plea for the detention of his four aides. The 30-day detention will be applicable from October 24.
From the government, officials of interior and foreign affairs ministries showed up along with government’s law officers, who also asked the board, comprising Justice Muhammad Yawar Ali, Justice Abdul Sami Khan and Justice Alia Neelum, to extend the detention of Saeed and his aides.
The four JuD leaders would be released on October 26 with the expiry of detention period.
A number of Saeed’s supporters were present at the court’s premises who showered rose petals on him and his aides. Police, however, stopped them from chanting slogans. The JuD leaders were kept in detention by the Punjab government under the Maintenance of Pubic Order following the recommendation of the federal government.
On the other hand, a single bench of the high court on Thursday adjourned hearing of Saeed’s petition against his detention as the law officer informed the court that attorney-general of Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf was abroad, besides asking to adjourn the case.
Saeed has been accused by the United States and India of masterminding the 2008 attacks on the Mumbai that left 166 people dead. He, however, has repeatedly denied involvement in the attacks.
