Hafiz Saeed rejects UN ban

Published December 12, 2008

LAHORE, Dec 11: Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed has rejected UN Security Council’s decision to impose sanctions against his organisation and said it has been taken in haste under the influence of Indian propaganda and without giving the other side a fair chance of defence.

Addressing a news conference at his organisation’s headquarters here on Thursday, he said he would contest the decision at every legal forum, including the International Court of Justice.

“We are purely a Pakistani religious and welfare organisation. We are not involved in the Mumbai attacks and are not operating in Kashmir. The ban has been imposed without any evidence and is merely aimed at defaming the Dawa and Pakistan,” he said.

He said his organisation was ready to stand trial if India and the US provided any evidence of its involvement in the Mumbai attacks.

Hafiz Saeed said that offices of the Dawa in Azad Kashmir had not been raided by security forces because it was a religious party engaged in welfare activities and had nothing to do with terrorism or armed struggle in occupied Kashmir.

The Dawa chief, who did not allow newspaper photographers or TV cameramen during the press conference, said India had approached the Security Council on Tuesday before his organisation could write a letter to the UN informing it that the group was not involved in the Mumbai incident.

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