Hafiz Saeed to walk free, Pak court orders release of 26/11 mastermind
He has been in house arrest in Lahore since January 31 this year under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.
Lahore: Pakistan's Punjab Judicial Review Board on Wednesday ordered the release of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, who was in house arrest in Lahore since January 31 this year.
The Pakistan government had appealed to the board to extend his detention for another three months.
"The government is ordered to release JuD chief Hafiz Saeed if he is not wanted in any other case," the board said. The board's order paves the way for Saeed's release.
The Mumbai attack mastermind was detained on January 30 along with four of his associates – Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain – for their alleged involvement in activities prejudicial to peace and security.
They were detained under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 and the Fourth Schedule of Anti- Terrorism Act 1997.
Their house arrest was extended in September this year. Saeed had filed an application in the Lahore High Court, challenging the order for extension of his house arrest.
Again in October, the board had allowed a 30-day extension to the detention of Saeed which will expire next week. Whereas, Saeed's four aides were set free in the last week of October.
The US has offered a USD 10 million bounty for Saaed.
The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) which is responsible for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attack.
(With inputs from PTI)