Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed has moved the Lahore high court seeking direction for the Pakistan government to defend him, Inter Services Intelligence officials and others before a United States court, which has issued summons to them in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Saeed, his operational commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Director General of ISI Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha, his predecessor Lieutenant General (retired) Nadeem Taj, Major Ali and Major Iqbal are among those who have been summoned for appearing before the court in a case filed by an injured United States citizen and the heirs of four others, who were killed in the terror strike on November 26, 2008.
Saeed moves Lahore HC
Photographs: Reuters
Saeed accused of providing material support for 26/1
Photographs: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com
He said the complainant accused them of providing material support for the Mumbai terror attacks and demanded damages.
Dogar stated that Hafiz Saeed was the head of the Jamaat-ud Dawa, which was a charity organisation and had no links with the Lashkar-e-Tayiba.
The Pakistan government had detained him in 2009, and a full bench of the Lahore high court had ordered his release, Dogar added.
Pak rejects jurisdiction of American courts
Photographs: Sanjay Sawant/Rediff.com
Noting that on December 31, the Pakistan government had announced its decision to defend ISI chief Lieutenant General Pasha, he maintained that Saeed was also a Pakistani, and had the same rights as any other citizen of the country.
In response to the summons, a reply had already been sent to the US court, rejecting the jurisdiction of American courts, as international law did not allow an exercise of jurisdiction over any person and property of other states, he added.
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