ISLAMABAD: The chief of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, on Monday accused the US and India of trying to hamper efforts to help victims of Pakistan's earthquake.
Saeed’s statement comes a day after the US and India agreed to step up cooperation and prevent financing of “extremist groups”, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD).
In annual talks between top economic officials, India and the US spoke of “expanding cooperation on countering illicit financing, including targeting the financial networks and fund-raising activities of terrorist organisations,” Indian Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram said Sunday.
Saeed, however, once again denied accusations of any involvement in terrorism of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, which is known in Pakistan for its relief work after natural disasters, particularly the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and 2010 floods.
“Their aim is to hamper the relief work of our charity Falah-e-Insaniyat foundation in the earthquake hit Balochistan, that's why they are trying to stop our funding,” Saeed told reporters.
A 7.7-magnitude quake shook the southwestern province of Balochistan on Sep 24, killing more than 370 people and leaving more than 100,000 homeless.
Indian accuses JuD of being a front organisation for Laskhar-e-Taiba, which investigators blame for the three-day carnage in Mumbai that killed 166 people in 2008.
The JuD denies any links to terrorist activities.
