Pakistan court adjourns trial of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed till Jan 2

An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan adjourned the hearing of the terror financing case against Jama'at-ud-Da'wah chief Hafiz Saeed till January 2 citing lawyers’ strike. The Mumbai terror attack mastermind was indicted in the case along with his top aides Hafiz Abdul Salam, Muhammad Ashraf and Zafar Iqbal. 

A court official informed that Hafiz Saeed and his three close aides were produced before the court amid high security but the prosecution could not produce any witnesses against them. The ongoing day-to-day hearing has been adjourned on the request of prosecuting lawyer since there has been a strike of lawyers in the lower courts.

The lawyers are on a strike against the arrest of their colleagues who were detained for hooliganism at a Lahore hospital.

Read: Jamat-ud-Dawa Chief Hafiz Saeed Indicted Again For Terror-financing

Hafiz Saeed taken into custody

Hafiz Saeed was charged for terror financing and money laundering under Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997, after the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) registered 23 FIRs against Saeed and his accomplices. The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief is currently in custody at the Kot Lakhpat jail. Saeed was presented in an anti-terrorism court in Lahore on December 20, where he pleaded 'not guilty'.

He was charged again in another case filed by Punjab's Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Gujranwala district for terror-financing on December 21. 

Read: Hafiz Saeed Not Produced At Pak Court Due To Lawyers' Strike Involving Imran Khan's Nephew

Pressure on Pakistan to prosecute Saeed

Jama'at-ud-Da'wah is believed to be the main organisation behind the Mumbai terror attack of 2008 which killed 166 people, including six Americans. The JUD chief was moving freely in Pakistan for a long time but the sanctions by the global terror financing watchdog, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) forced the country to arrest him and expedite the case.

The FATF has warned Pakistan of blacklisting them if the country fails to comply with the targets set by the watchdog.

Pakistan has been facing difficulties in accessing financial assistance after it was placed on the ‘Grey List’ by the FATF. On December 6, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved $1 billion emergency loan for Pakistan to boost the country’s public finance and “help strengthen a slowing economy”.

Read: Hafiz Saeed Should Be Tried In International Court Not Pakistan: BJP MP

Read: Desperate Pakistan Indicts 26/11 Mastermind Hafiz Saeed On Terror Funding Charges

(With PTI inputs)