JuD files plea over blocking of 'welfare activities'

Lahore : The Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) on Friday submitted a petition at the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the Pakistan government's decision to block their 'welfare activities'.

A counsel for petitioner advocate Dogar said that JuD chief and 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed had established 142 schools and three universities in Pakistan and added that he was doing welfare activities for the last several years.

According to reports, the LHC has sent a notice to the Pakistan government and Punjab provincial government seeking them a response within 15 days. Justice Aminuddin Khan heard this matter at the request of the JuD chief, The Express Tribune reported.

The petitioner stated that the JuD and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) has always been active in welfare activities and that "the US and India are creating a hindrance in the 'regular party affairs' which is uncalled for."

On March 8, the LHC extended its order till April 4 under Justice Khan to take no action against Saeed on his plea about his possible arrest at the behest of Washington D.C. and New Delhi.

Advocate Dogar contended that a UN delegation was to arrive in Pakistan in January and the Pakistan government had planned to take strict action against Saeed.

He said that the Punjab government had earlier detained the UN-designated global terrorist under 'Maintenance of Public Order' for 90 days.

However, a review board comprising judges of the LHC denied an application of the government for further detention and house arrest Saeed as it failed to justify the detention before the board.

In January, Saeed's entities were moved from Pakistan's watch list to the list of proscribed organisations after the Pakistan government introduced a presidential ordinance by amending the country's anti-terrorism act to include UN-designated terrorist groups and individuals for terror financing, paving the way for the confiscation of JuD and FIF assets.

However, despite the ban, the entities were found to be freely operating in Pakistan.

Last month, Pakistani authorities confirmed that the country was going back on the "grey list" of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), a global watchdog on combating terror financing and money laundering, after a span of nearly four years.