After calling Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief and 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed a “serious threat to the society” during a conference in Germany, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif is now facing flak from religious and political leaders across Islamabad. He has been branded as the ‘mouthpiece’ of India.
The leaders called Saeed a patriotic leader of the country and that Asif's comment was completely unwarranted, according to The News International.
Defence of Pakistan Council chairman Maulana Samiul Haq said that Asif must’ve been raised in Germany whereas former prime minister Azad Kashmir Sardar Muhammad Attique said that he issued such media statements to appease India.
Jamaat-e-Islami leader Liaquat Baloch echoed similar sentiments saying the Defence Minister had lost control over his tongue.
A spokesperson of Jammat-ud-Dawa said that protest rallies against Asif’s statement will be held across all major cities and towns. They also seek action from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Saeed Challenges House Arrest in Lahore High Court
Hafiz Saeed and four others on Tuesday challenged their house arrest in the Lahore High Court. LHC Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan will hear their petition on Wednesday.
Hafiz Saeed, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid, Qazi Kashif Hussain and Abdullah Ubaid challenged their detention through senior advocate AK Dogar.
The government on 30 January had put Saeed and four other leaders of JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat (FIF) under house arrest in Lahore under the country's anti-terrorism act.
(With ANI and PTI inputs)
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