India expresses disappointment over 26/11 mastermind Hafeez Saeed being let off
By ANITuesday, May 25, 2010
New Delhi/Islamabad, May 25 (ANI): Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao on Tuesday expressed the Indian Government’s disappointment over Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD) chief Hafeez Mohammed Saeed being let off by Pakistan’s courts.
“India hopes Pakistan will take meaningful action against Saeed. We are disappointed over at Saeed being let off by Pakistan,” said Rao at a press conference in the national capital.
“We hope Pakistan will not let Saeed walk free. India has given enough proof to Pakistan on Saeed,” she added.
Nirupama Rao further said Saeed has openly preached jihad against India.
Rao’s reaction came after Pakistan’s Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s verdict to release Saeed, who was charged of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
The Pakistan Government had challenged Saeed’s release by a high court last year.
Pakistan’s apex court quashed the appeal, saying the government had failed to provide sufficient evidence against Saeed.
“The appeals are dismissed,” The Dawn quoted Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk, head of a three-member panel, as saying.
Earlier last year, the Lahore High Court had released Saeed on grounds of insufficient evidence, prompting the government to appeal to the Supreme Court for his re-arrest.
“Pakistan detained Saeed in December 2008 after a UN Security Council resolution to put him and a charity he heads on a list of people and organisations supporting al Qaeda.,” reports The Dawn. (ANI)