Hafiz Saeed's house arrest may be hogwash to hoodwink Trump, Modi
Hafiz Saeed's so-called house arrest may just be all hogwash, a shrewd strategy to hoodwink the US, India and the entire world standing against terrorism.
Pakistani terrorist and Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed was put under house arrest late on Monday. New Delhi welcomed the move. There was joy all around. However, Hafiz Saeed's so-called house arrest may just be all hogwash, a shrewd strategy to hoodwink the US, India and the entire world standing against terrorism.
Reports that Jamaat ud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed had been placed under house arrest have generally been taken at face value. The reason was that they came barely 24 hours within the US declaring that Pakistani citizens could be banned from entering that country.
On January 27, the new US President Donald Trump, in an executive order, banned citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering that nation for at least the next 90 days. The seven countries are Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
It is believed that the fear of US sanctions has forced Pakistan to put Hafiz Saeed under house arrest. In 2012, the US announced a bounty of $10 million on him for his alleged role in the attack in which six American citizens were also killed. Besides, the United Nations has also designated him a terrorist.
Hence, the terrorist's detention is being linked to the US' action.
However, this may be far from truth, and these are the reasons why:1. HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE
Late on January 30, the Government of Punjab (Pakistan) declared that house number 116-E in Johar Town of Lahore be converted to sub-jail for the confinement of Hafiz Saeed with immediate effect, subject to the control and superintendence of IG, Prisons of Lahore. The address is of the terrorist's house.
Shockingly, Hafiz Saeed held a press conference just after he was put under confinement. He did not appear remorseful at all. Talking to mediapersons, he alleged that he was arrested because he had taken up the cause of Kashmir and declared 2017 as the year of Kashmir. He said he knew some pressure would be exerted on Pakistan. "This order has not come from Islamabad. It has travelled from New Delhi to Washington and then finally to Islamabad," he said and challenged the Pakistan Home Ministry to show even one FIR against JuD anywhere in Pakistan.
Orders of my arrest haven't come from Islamabad, these orders hv been given from Delhi via Washington: #HafizSaeed talks to media in Lahore pic.twitter.com/NqP1T7BZGI; Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) January 30, 2017
You can imagine the nature of "arrest" of Hafiz Saeed that he holds a press conference announcing his arrest ???? pic.twitter.com/ohc8b9rPrD; Yusuf Unjhawala ???? (@YusufDFI) January 31, 2017
2. RELEASES VIDEO
Making a mockery of Pakistan's legal system including the police, Hafiz Saeed released a video after his house arrest. In the video, addressed to Muslims, particularly Kashmiris, he said that action had been taken against him due to external pressure. He defended his terrorist organisation JuD and said it was involved in relief and rescue operations, sacrifice and education to all. He alleged that he was targeted at the behest of the Indian government because he had planned rallies, programmes and seminars on February 5 which JuD observes as Kashmir Solidarity Day every year. "I knew that India won't tolerate it and will certainly exert pressure. Trump is new and he wants to be friendly with (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi. But our issue is not with the US but with India. Modi is exerting pressure on the US," he said.
3. POLICE AS SECURITY#BREAKING: Terrorist Hafiz Saeed releases video after he was put in house arrest, claims Modi-Trump friendship led to action against him. pic.twitter.com/V5qYI4FTWC; Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) January 30, 2017
When Hafiz Saeed was addressing the media after being arrested, police personnel could be seen surrounding him. Instead of treating him as an accused, they were seen standing for his security. There are reports that the order from the Pakistani government to place Hafiz Saeed was sudden. It is very much possible that the government would have learnt about some impending attack on him and wanted to ensure his safety and security.
4. DRAMA FOR FIFTH TIME
This is not the first time that Hafiz Saeed has been confined to his house. Every time he remains under house arrest for a few weeks or months and then is let off by the Pakistani courts. The first arrest had taken place in 2002 after the Kaluchak terror attack, killing 31 people, including families of Indian Army personnel. He was also put under house arrest in 2006 and then in 2008 after the Mumbai terror attacks. He was subsequently house arrested in 2009. The latest house arrest has come after a gap of about eight years.
5. JAIL OR RECREATION?
House arrests or even jails for terrorists in Pakistan are a farce. They should in fact be called recreation clubs. Despite continuously lodged in Rawalpindi's high-security Adiala jail after the Mumbai terror attacks, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi has fathered a child. This is only cocking a snook at the legal system in Pakistan.