Religious leaders condemn jail term to Hafiz Saeed

LAHORE: Religious leaders have strongly condemned the 11 years sentence awarded to Jamaat Ud Dawah (juD) Ameer Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and his aide Zafar Iqbal on charges of funding terrorism and running banned organisation, terming it a move to appease FATF which would end up promoting the Indian narrative of terrorism against Pakistan.

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Amirul Azeem termed the sentence a complete U-turn from the country’s 72 years old Kashmir policy, and said it would help antagonise the oppressed Kashmiri Muslims from Pakistan despite that they had been raising slogans of Pakistan on the face of occupant Indian army which had been brutally killing and maiming them. He said it looked as if whatever Indain occupant army had been doing against Kashmiri Muslims for demanding freedom, the Pakistani government was doing the same to those who were raising their voice for supporting Kashmiris and demanding their freedom.

Talking to the media, he said sentencing Hafiz Saeed despite that no charge of terror financing could be proved before trial court was tantamount to giving up the cause of Kashmirs’ freedom which was held up by none else but the father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam. Azeem said the sentence would justify the allegations of terrorism leveled on Pakistan by Indian leadership and media. He said Hafiz Saeed had been a benefactor of Kashmiri nation, and punishing him for pleasing the western masters had bowed down entire Pakistani nation with shame.

Tanzim Islami Ameer Hafiz Akif Saeed said the shocking sentence to a person like Hafiz SAeed who had been the strongest voice for Kashmiris’ freedom was like ‘Pakistan’s shot in its own foot.’ He termed the move an attempt to please the FATF and western masters, and said it would go a long way in supporting the Indian narrative against Pakistan.

Milli Yakjehti Council (MYC) Chairman Hafiz Abul Khair Zubair said Hafiz Saeed was punished for his crime of raising voice for the freedom of Kashmiris against the Indian occupation. He said it had only pleased India the most, while the entire Kashmiri nation was under the shock and grief.

JUP President Qari Zawwar Bahadur said sentencing a leader whom entire Kashmiri nation considered as the torch-bearer of their freedom, was tantamount to stabbing the Kashmiri freedom struggle in the back.

Pakistan Ulema Council President Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi said Hafiz saeed was considered as a beacon of light of the freedom for Kashmiris, not only by the Kashmiri Muslims but also by the Pakistani nation. He said punishing him was like punishing the entire Paksitani and Kashmiri nation. Jamiat Ahle Hadith Secretary General Hafiz Ibtesam Elahi Zaheer said the judgment of anti-terrorism court would demoralise all the freedom fighters and damage the cause of Kashmir’s freedom seriously. He said it would also promote as truth the Indian negative propaganda against Pakistan.