LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday restrained the government from extending harassment to the social welfare organisations of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and also allowed lawful activities of Jamatud Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF).

Justice Aminuddin Khan was hearing a petition moved by Hafiz Saeed challenging a notification of ministry of interior with regard to freezing bank accounts and taking over assets associated with both organisations- JuD and FIF—under the Anti-Terrorism (amendment) Ordinance 2018.

The petitioner’s counsel, A.K Dogar, said the government of Pakistan acted against these organisations under the pressure of foreign powers, including United Nations and India. He contended that Pakistan was a sovereign independent state and made its own laws to govern its citizens. He said if there was a conflict between the laws of the land and any provision of United Nations Security Council Act, 1948, the law of the land shall prevail, he added.

He pointed out that the FIF owned 369 ambulances, had helped 72,000 persons through its charity hospitals and treated 600,000 patients only in 2017. He said the JuD dug out 2,000 wells for supplying water in Tharparkar, Balochistan and Baltistan.

The counsel asked the court to declare the impugned notification of the interior ministry null and void with regard to taking over the assets of the organisations.

The judge restrained the government from harassing the petitioner’s organisations and sought reply from the interior ministry by April 23.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2018