February 13, 2002	Wednesday	Ziqa’ad 29, 1422

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LAHORE, Feb 12: Hundreds of Jamaatud Dawat workers and leaders of several political and religious parties, including Alliance for Restoration of Democracy president Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan attended the funeral prayers for the mother of JD amir Hafiz Muhammad Saeed who died of heart failure here on Tuesday.

Despite his release on parole two days ago, Hafiz Saeed, who has been detained in Sihala Rest House, was not allowed to attend the funeral. Police authorities said he had been unable to reach Lahore on account of security concerns. He was, however, allowed to proceed to his ancestral village in Sargodha where his mother will be buried.

Hafiz Saeed’s mother was admitted to the Jinnah Hospital where she died on Tuesday morning. The funeral prayers were held at Doongi Ground of Jauhar Town’s E Block amidst tight security arrangements.

Prominent among those attending the prayers were Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, JI’s Chaudhry Aslam Saleemi, Liaquat Baloch and Amirul Azim, and Jamaatud Dawat’s acting amir Hafiz Abdus Salam.

The body was later taken to Hafiz Saeed’s ancestral village in Sargodha by his son Talha Saeed.

Talking to reporters, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan and Chaudhry Aslam Saleemi criticized the government for not allowing Hafiz Saeed to join the funeral prayers.

A JI leader conveyed a condolence message from Qazi Husain Ahmad to Talha Saeed.

The Jamiat Ahle Hadith, too, has condoled the death.