Wont contest Saeed release: Pak Punjab

Pakistans Punjab provincial government on Tuesday decided to withdraw its appeal against the release of Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Mohammed Saeed...

Pakistans Punjab provincial government on Tuesday decided to withdraw its appeal against the release of Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Mohammed Saeed,a key accused in the Mumbai terror attacks,but the Federal government is pressing ahead with its case in the Supreme Court.

Punjabs surprise move caused a flutter coming as it did hours before a meeting between Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan in Egypt on the margins of the NAM summit to review the progress made by Islamabad to bring to book perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks.

State Advocate General Muhammad Raza Farooq told the Supreme Court when it resumed hearing on the two appeals that the provincial government wanted to withdraw its petition as it did not have adequate evidence against the JuD chief.

The court adjourned the matter till Thursday without any decision on the Punjab governments request to withdraw its appeal. But the Federal appeal remains and the apex court will take up the matter on July 16.

Farooq also told the apex court that federal authorities had not shared any proof against Saeed with the Punjab government.

The Supreme Court on Monday began hearing the two petitions filed by the Federal and Punjab governments to challenge Saeeds release on the orders of the Lahore High Court on June 2.

Rana Sanaullah,Law Minister of Punjab,told reporters in Lahore that the provincial government decided to withdraw its petition as certain weaknesses in it had come to light during yesterdays hearing. It would not be good for the Punjab government if the apex courts decision went against it,he added.

Sanaullah said the Punjab governments

order to put Saeed under house arrest in

Story continues below this ad

December last year was issued on the directions of the Federal government. After that,the Federal government demanded that we file an appeal in the Supreme Court (to challenge his release).

We have fully ensured that no terrorist activities are being carried out in the JuDs centres, Sanaullah said.

Saeed had been kept under house arrest for the maximum period permissible under the law and the Lahore High Court had ruled that he could not be held in detention for an indefinite period,he said.

The JuD chief and his close aide Col (retired) Nazir Ahmed were placed under house arrest in December last year in the wake of the Mumbai attacks. On May 2,a judicial review board of the Lahore High Court extended their detention by 60 days. However,acting on a petition filed by Saeed,the High Court ordered their release on June 2.