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'I am fighting for the freedom of Pakistan and Kashmir', Hafiz Saeed says after release
Addressing a sermon at Lahore's Jamia Masjid Al Qadsia a day after walking free, Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) leader Hafiz Saeed said on Friday that he is "fighting for the freedom of Pakistan and Kashmir."
The JuD chief claimed that he had been placed under house arrest for fighting for the rights of Kashmiris and suggested that the country's leaders are making decisions under external pressure.
"If the leaders of the Pakistan start making their own decisions, they will no longer face external pressure," the leader of the proscribed group said.
The JuD chief said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was ousted because he had betrayed the people of Kashmir. He further alleged that India is involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan.
"Peace cannot be established in Pakistan if terrorists such as Kulbashan Jadhav continue to enter the country," Saeed said, referring to the Indian spy who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April on charges of espionage and terrorism.
Washington 'deeply concerned'
Also on Friday, Washington said it was “deeply concerned” with the release of the JuD chief, who carries a bounty of $10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.
"Lashkar-e-Taiba is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent civilians in terrorist attacks, including a number of American citizens," US State Department spokesman Heather Nauert said, referring to the party which is considered to be a front for JuD.
“The Pakistani government should make sure that he is arrested and charged for his crimes," Nauert added.
A day earlier, India had slammed the release of the JuD chief, whose 300-day house arrest 30-day detention expired on Thursday at midnight.
India claims that the JuD head was the mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attacks that left 166 people dead. Ten gunmen, including Ajmal Kasab, had gone on a killing spree in the city after reaching the city from Karachi by sea, India says.
A spokesperson for the JuD rubbished the criticism in a statement issued Friday evening, saying that: "Hafiz Saeed is an advocate of peace and a philanthropist."
He condemned "American concern" over Saeed's release, insisting that Pakistan's judiciary is independent and any attempt to question its decisions is equivalent to interfering in the country's internal matters.
The Foreign Office issued a similarly worded response to India's 'concerns', stating that: "The courts in Pakistan, pursuant to their constitutional duty, are determined to uphold rule of law and due process for all citizens of Pakistan."
"Legal processes are anchored in rule of law, not dictates of politics and posturing," the FO's spokesperson said.
"It is in the interest of all states to speak and act in a manner that is consistent with the imperatives of adhering to rule of law at the national and international levels."
Brushing aside insinuations that Hafiz Saeed's release was akin to support of terrorist outfits, the FO said: "Pakistan’s resolve, actions and successes in the fight against terrorism, terrorist violence and terrorists is unmatched in the world. Pakistan condemns and opposes all forms of terrorism by any individual or group. Pakistan also opposes and condemns acts of terrorism inside Pakistan and elsewhere by India, which claims to be a champion of democracy, and international law."
Comments (46) Closed
This is how terrorists flourish& use soil trying to fullfill their agenda which they will never be achieve.
Have m in check he says he is going to fight for the freedom of Pakistan as well
Did he ever speak against Mullah Fazalullah and Abubakar Baghdadi; one can recall his offering prayers of Mullah Omar at Islamabad.
He has instigated youth across country but I dare to ask how many times he or his blood relatives have fired or received a single bullet for Kashmir cause? None and shall never ! Total melodrama
He is fighting for the freedom of Pakistan???? I was given to understand that Pakistan is a souvrine nuclear country .I can understand his fight for kashmir as he wants to remain in lime light.
Fighting for freedom of pakistan. Really?
Kashmir will be free one day soon
One more nail..
no shame?
Happy to see him free.his arrest anyway was a fake only.. nothing better expected anyway from Pak.
Why cant he be prosecuted? Is there no evidence against him?
“fighting for the freedom of Pakistan and Kashmir." Why is he putting whole of Pakistan in Kashmir’s bucket? Pakistan is free, just think about Kashmir.
Leader of a dreaded terror organisation which has killed large number of innocents but a respected citizen of Pakistan.
Preplanned drama
Without government high profile support. He cannot speak like this. One thing noticed . He never criticised the military establishment.
@Naxalite from pakistan. :)
Hafiz Saeed is a criminal!
He has done nothing good for Kashmir and Pakistan. He achieved nothing but destroy the image of the country.
How indirectly loss this country has received. Due to this man' and his supporters activity .
Even as a Pakistani, I am ashamed of this man.
He represents everything bad about Pakistan.
The West shold makeup it's mind whether they wan't to be involved in the Kashmir conflict or not, you can't eat your cake and have it too.
Hafiz freedom very soon
He has sent thousands to their death across LoC. None from his family even saw the LoC except from a safe distance.
A well-placed sniper bullet (origins unknown) will find him, and all his ilk of similar vein, who only advocate violence.
this man seems to be a liability to Pakistan
Why Pakistani Citizen's not able to understand that this man is only brining shame and bad name to Pakistan and to pakistan community staying all over world...
Now he wants to liberate Pakistan as well. But question is from whom?
Fighting for the freedom of Pakistan!
@jaam Look at his physique and you will realise how comfortable he is in goading others to fight.
Why nobody is interested in $10 million..????
Oneday US will come and take him to statue of Liberty..
Islamists and terrorists are taking over Pakistan.
$10 million will still be more than 9% of profit Pakistan will be getting out of CPEC. And there are many like Saeed in Pakistan.
Geedad ki jab mout ati hai to woh gaonki taraf bhagata hai. This man's time is up.
Very good go ahead to free Pakistan....Well done Pak Govt. to release him. This is your best work done...
Fighting for the freedom of Pakistan? no thanks, we got our independence in 1947. We do not need people like you representing Pakistan in any shape or form, we have enough problems as it is.
I am ashamed as a Pakistani, how can the government allow this murderer to even be able to stand and speak such garbage. Where are our values, where are our beliefs, where are our morality, are we that blind to have someone like this man represent us around the globe. If we support this man, than remember one thing, all those who have died protecting our freedom, and all those innocent who died for no apparent reason, died in vain, their sacrifices were a waste
The courts in PK are a joke - remember the Qadri episode
Well, the ordinary Pakistani's are shedding blood on the streets of Pakistan for keeping his tag as a 'freedom fighter'. He is seeding ideas for Pakistani independence too, which can be a cue for Islamists to take over the country.
Dysfunctional state and dysfunctional individuals who rise to the top there.:)
@vp "Islamists and terrorists are taking over Pakistan." Correction- ..already have taken over. Very sad.
This situation with the release of this guy will only confirm what the Americans have been saying all along. Shameful act, this guy belongs in jail.
He is a blot on our nation Long live ideas of Jinnah
USA should ban all Pakistanis from going to USA.
"I'm fighting for the freedom of Pakistan"
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that an open challenge to the writ of Pakistani state?
@Joe yes he wants Pakistan to be free from democracy and want Sharia law to be introduced in Pakistan