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Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed to contest elections in Pakistan next year

Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed to contest elections in Pakistan next year
Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed to contest elections in Pakistan next year

Saeed has also filed a petition to de-list him from the UN list of designated terrorists

Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the Mumbai terror attack, has confirmed that his organisation Jammat-ud-Dawah will contest the 2018 general elections in Pakistan under the banner of the Milli Muslim League.

The banned JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) which carried out the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people were killed.

“The Milli Muslim League (MML) is planning to contest next year’s general elections,” said Saeed, a terrorist leader designated by both the United Nations and the United States.

Talking to a group of columnists at the JuD headquarters in Chauburji yesterday, he dedicated 2018 for Kashmiris.

The JuD chief, who carries a bounty of USD 10 million announced by the US for his terror activities, walked free on November 24 after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further. He was under detention since January this year.

In September when Saeed was under house arrest in Lahore, the JuD entered in the political arena and contested by-poll from NA-120.

Saeed is also the vice president of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council, an umbrella coalition of more than 40 political and religious parties that advocate conservative policies.

The founder of LeT militant group vowed to continue supporting the Kashmiris fighting the Indian forces.

“I want to tell India that I will continue to support Kashmiris no matter what kind of difficulties are there. India wants us to stop raising voice for the Kashmiris. It is building pressure on the Pakistani government. I want to tell Pakistan that back-channel diplomacy only caused harm to the Kashmir cause,” Saeed alleged.

He further said his detention in Pakistan and Hurriyat leaders in India was part of international agenda.

“This had been done to harm the Kashmir cause. India is angry over my release from the house detention. I warn India if it does not stop atrocities against Kashmiris then this struggle will rise further and it will face the music,” he threatened.

The JuD was declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014.

India had expressed outrage over Pakistan’s decision to release Saeed, calling it an attempt by Islamabad to mainstream proscribed terrorists and a reflection of its continuing support to non-state actors.

Saeed has now filed the petition to de-list him from the UN list of designated terrorists.

With PTI inputs

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