US to Pak: Punish Hafiz ‘sahib’
WASHINGTON: Unimpressed by Pakistan’s newfound reverence for Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, the United States has reiterated its call for Islamabad to arrest and prosecute him to the “fullest extent” as the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
State department spokesperson Heather Nauert said on Thursday that the US considered the Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief – “Hafiz Saeed sahib”, she said mock-quoting a description proffered by Pakistan Prime Minister Sahid Khaqan Abbasi this week – “a terrorist, a part of a foreign terrorist organisation”.
WASHINGTON: Unimpressed by Pakistan’s newfound reverence for Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, the United States has reiterated its call for Islamabad to arrest and prosecute him to the “fullest extent” as the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
State department spokesperson Heather Nauert said on Thursday that the US considered the Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief – “Hafiz Saeed sahib”, she said mock-quoting a description proffered by Pakistan Prime Minister Sahid Khaqan Abbasi this week – “a terrorist, a part of a foreign terrorist organisation”.
“He was the mastermind, we believe, of the 2008 Mumbai attacks which killed many people, including Americans as well,” she said.
Nauert further said, “We believe that this individual should be prosecuted. The Pakistani government released him from house arrest not that long ago. We believe he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Saeed has been listed by the al Qaida Sanctions Committee under UNSC Resolution 1267
ISLAMABAD HAS NOT ACTED, BUT INSTEAD POINTED TO ITS INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY IN ITS DEFENCE
because of his affiliation with LeT, which is a designated foreign terror organisation, Nauert said. Abbasi called Saeed “sahib” during an interview with Geo News, in which he said there was no case against the LeT founder. “There is no case against Hafiz Saeed sahib in Pakistan,” he said about the man designated a terrorist by the US and the UN.
Responding to a question, N au er ts aid the US has“certainly seen” the reports about Abbasi’s comments on Saeed. Islamabad has not acted on the American demand, and has instead pointed to its independent judiciary in its defence.