Hafiz Saeed unmoved by talk of ban on JuD

Published January 25, 2015
Jamaatud Dawa Chief, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed addresses a rally against the printing of anti-Islam sketches by French magazine Charlie Hebdo, in Lahore on January 23, 2015.— AP
Jamaatud Dawa Chief, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed addresses a rally against the printing of anti-Islam sketches by French magazine Charlie Hebdo, in Lahore on January 23, 2015.— AP
Jamaatud Dawa Chief, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed addresses 
mediapersons during press conference in Karachi on Saturday, 
January 24, 2015.— Online
Jamaatud Dawa Chief, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed addresses mediapersons during press conference in Karachi on Saturday, January 24, 2015.— Online
Jamaatud Dawa Chief, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed addresses a rally against the printing of anti-Islam sketches by French magazine Charlie Hebdo, in Lahore on January 23, 2015.— AFP
Jamaatud Dawa Chief, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed addresses a rally against the printing of anti-Islam sketches by French magazine Charlie Hebdo, in Lahore on January 23, 2015.— AFP
Jamaatud Dawa Chief, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed addresses 
mediapersons during press conference in Karachi on Saturday, 
January 24, 2015.— PPI
Jamaatud Dawa Chief, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed addresses mediapersons during press conference in Karachi on Saturday, January 24, 2015.— PPI

KARACHI: Amid confusion over whether the government had banned the Jamaatud Dawa, its chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed said on Saturday that restrictions were “nothing new” to the group and that JuD would continue with its public welfare and education projects.

“It has been going on over the past six years,” he said while answering a question at a press conference with Mufti Mohammad Naeem at Jamia Binnoria Al Alamia in the Site area.

Read: Haqqani network and JuD banned

“The courts have given us a clean chit and declared us as innocent and respected citizens of the country. But the media is exaggerating the six-year-old curbs imposed on JuD by the United Nations after the recent Foreign Office (FO) briefing.”

Earlier this week, the FO avoided confirming that JuD and the Haqqani network had been banned. Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said at a media briefing that JuD and some other organisations had been included in the sanctions list of the UN and Pakistan, being a member of the world body, was obliged to act against such outfits.

Also read: Hafiz Saeed challenges India to prove he is a terrorist

Hafiz Saeed said his organisation was actively involved in dozens of welfare projects benefiting poor people. “We are not going to abandon these projects.”

He said a certain class and group were targeting JuD to promote a certain agenda “but let me tell you that we are true Pakistanis and will defend the land and its ideology.”

Also read| Footprints: JuD's show of strength

Earlier, the JuD chief met Mufti Naeem to invite him to participate in his organisation’s “Hurmat-i-Rasool (PBUH) march” to be held on Sunday in protest against the publication of controversial caricatures in a French magazine.

Mufti Naeem expressed concern over the government’s National Action Plan for countering terrorism and said every Pakistani wanted an end to terrorism and supported sensible steps of the government. “But one cannot allow a one-sided action against madressahs.

Also read| JuD will continue to operate in Pakistan: Spokesperson

“We will appreciate the government if it targets terrorists and their handlers but treating all the seminaries in the same way is unjustified,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Opinion

Editorial

Military convictions
Updated 22 Dec, 2024

Military convictions

Pakistan’s democracy, still finding its feet, cannot afford such compromises on core democratic values.
Need for talks
22 Dec, 2024

Need for talks

FOR a long time now, the country has been in the grip of relentless political uncertainty, featuring the...
Vulnerable vaccinators
22 Dec, 2024

Vulnerable vaccinators

THE campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan cannot succeed unless the safety of vaccinators and security personnel...
Strange claim
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Strange claim

In all likelihood, Pakistan and US will continue to be ‘frenemies'.
Media strangulation
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Media strangulation

Administration must decide whether it wishes to be remembered as an enabler or an executioner of press freedom.
Israeli rampage
21 Dec, 2024

Israeli rampage

ALONG with the genocide in Gaza, Israel has embarked on a regional rampage, attacking Arab and Muslim states with...