2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind and UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Seed’s house arrest has been extended for two more months by the government of Punjab in Pakistan. According to a report in The Dawn, the notification for extending the house arrest of Hafiz Saeed and his colleagues was signed by Punjab Additional Chief Secretary (Home) retired Major Azam Suleman on Monday. Hafiz Saeed, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief, has been under house arrest since January 31 this year. His house arrest was extended for three more months in April which was going to expire on July 27.
The notification said that the Counter Terrorism Department has reported that "keeping in view the expected release of the said activist and other leaders of the said organisation, workers of the organisation have planned to spread chaos in the country."
It further added that on release, Hafiz Saeed is likely to glorify his activities for the JuD and continuation of his activities are likely to create unrest in public."
In addition to Hafiz Saeed, many other top leaders of JuD including Ubaid, Abdul Rehman Abid, Zafar Iqbal and Qazi Kashif Niazi of Multan were also taken into 'protective custody' in January this year.
Pakistan had placed Hafiz Saeed’s JuD and Falah-i-Insaaniat Foundation (FIF), a charity organisation affiliated with the JuD, on the government’s watch list for six months under Section (1) 11EEE of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 in January.
The names of Hafiz Saeed and several other JuD leaders were also placed on the Exit Control List.
