Hafiz Saeed’s new party a front for terror

It is a measure of the clout that the Mumbai terror attacks mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed wields in Pakistan that he has launched a political party in the country, unmindful of the fact that he is an internationally designated terrorist under the UN Resolution 1267 provisions. That his house arrest is a sham has been clear from the word ‘go.’ He clearly enjoys the patronage of the political and military establishments in Pakistan and his house arrest is a mere eyewash. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay put it aptly when he said recently that "it is both ironical and disconcerting to notice that such an individual is perhaps wanting to hide his blood-stained hands behind the ballot ink or the person who has traded in bullets to take human lives is trying to hide behind ballots.” It bespeaks of the hollowness of the US Administration’s claim that it is looking to nab him to punish him for his crimes. The US State Department’s country report on terrorism for 2016 issued last month said the LeT and its wings continued to make use of economic resources and raise funds in Pakistan. Even while he is purportedly under house arrest in Lahore, Saeed is directing terror activities and nurturing his new party the Milli Muslim League.

The United States has offered $10 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Saeed but that this an eyewash is clear from how he has been operating without any impediment. Interestingly, Saeed is the founder of the Lashkare-Taiba terror group which was outlawed. He had overnight changed the group’s name to Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) to circumvent the ban and with the Pakistan establishment behind him, he had no difficulty in continuing his sinister operations. In the past, Saeed has often denounced democracy and the electoral process, saying it is not compatible with Islam. Indeed, if the world community is serious about acting against Saeed it must shed all pretence and mete out deterrent and appropriate punishment to him so that terror is curbed. While India has been constantly at the receiving end of Saeed terror, even Afghanistan has come under its nefarious influence in recent times.