ISLAMABAD: In what is touted as a positive move, Pakistan's Punjab government has listed Lashkar-e-Taiba founder and mastermind of the Mumbai terror attacks, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and four other members of his Jamaat-ud-Dawa, under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terror Act.
Qazi Kashif, Saeed's close aide, has also been listed under the fourth schedule, meant for individuals who are found to be or suspected to be involved in anti-state activities and terrorism. Pakistan, until now, had officially denied Saeed's role in terror activities even though he was recently placed under house arrest and on the exit control list following pressure from the Trump Administration. A report, quoting a senior police officer, said the counter-terrorism department had added the names of Saeed and Kashif to the list of the 1,450 "fourth schedulers" on the orders of the federal home ministry.
Along with Saeed, the other three JuD members are Abdullah Obaid, Zafar Iqbal, and Abdur Rehman Abid. The Home Ministry said the five men are identified as active members of the JuD and Falah-i-Insaniyat, JuD's charity wing. The report said the ministry asked the CTD to "move and take necessary action" against them.
India's hails action
Meanwhile, India called Pak's action as the first logical step in bringing him to justice and ridding the region of terrorism and violent extremism. India's External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Vikas Swarup said, "Hafiz Saeed is an international terrorist, the mastermind of the Mumbai terrorist attack, and responsible for unleashing a wave of terror against Pakistan's neighbours through LeT/JuD and their affiliates. Effective action mandated internationally against him and his terrorist organisations and colleagues is a logical first step in bringing them to justice, and in ridding our region of the twin menaces of terrorism and violent extremism."
