Shafqat Mehmood

PAKISTAN TEHRIK- E- INSAF ( PTI) Secretary Information Shafqat Mehmood said the US announcement of head money on Hafiz Saeed was a bolt from the blue. “If they had any concrete evidence against Hafiz Saeed they should share it with Pakistan. This was a decision taken in haste ( to announce the bounty)”, he said.

Mr Mehmood said, “Hafiz Saeed is a Pakistani citizen. He would be treated under our own laws. We can’t be dictated to, told to act against our citizens without any evidence”. “PTI does not support terrorism but cannot allow US and India to tell us whom we should arrest. If they have evidence they should share with us and on the basis of that we can act”. “The international laws tell us that any other country cannot interfere in the internal matters of another country. If they have any evidence against anybody, they need to contact the respective government”. Mr Mehmood said.

“Hafiz Saeed is entitled to due process of law. We will not allow the US to arrest our men or target them. Hafiz Saeed is innocent until proven guilty”, he said. Mr Mehmood said, “President Zardari’s visit to India is something we can’t understand. They say it is a private visit and we also hear things about talks. The presidency should clear this confusion”. “We also want to know the details of the visit. President Zardari should have taken the parliament into confidence before finalising the visit”. “We want to know what President Zardari and the Indian PM will discuss in the April 8 meeting. The people of Pakistan want to know”. “President’s Zardari’s visit is a waste of taxpayers’ money. They are taking along all the family members, it’s a waste”, he added. Mr Mehmood said it is strange that President Zardari has planned a visit when the visa regime was so strict. “They have rejected sports ties with us. No high officials wants to come here, so why is our President so keen to go to such a country”, he asked.