LAHORE: Following Hafiz Saeed's house arrest, his brother-in- law Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki has taken over charge of the head of Jamaat-ud-Dawah, an official of the group said. Makki, who holds a $ 2 million bounty on his head, was the second in command of the militant group, although several reports suggest Saeed still runs the show from his house.
Makki has led more than half a dozen rallies in Lahore and other places ever since Saeed was put in detention by the Punjab government, for a period of 90 days in exercise of powers under section 11-EEE (1) of Anti Terrorism Act 1997. Several offices of both JuD and FIF were closed following the house arrest. Both the organisations were also put on observation under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. Names of Saeed, and 37 other members of JuD and FIF have also been placed on exit control list, preventing them from leaving the country.
Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had claimed that the government was fulfilling its obligations under United Nations Security Council's resolutions. As Saeed, the mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attack, carrying a US bounty of $10 million on his head, Makki has also $2 million on his head. In a statement, Makki demanded immediate release of Saeed.
