Saeed not under arrest or protective custody: Pak Police

Hafiz Saeed is not under house arrest or protective custody,a top police official has said amid contradictory reports about his status in the run-up to Indo-Pak Foreign Ministers' meeting.

Pakistans claims regarding putting the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawas chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed,the alleged mastermind of the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks,under house arrest has been laid bare again as a senior Police official has clarified that the authorities have only restricted his movement.

Interacting with media persons at a press conference here,Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tariq Saleem Dogar said Saeed has neither been arrested nor put under house arrest,rather the police is providing an extra security cover to the Lashkar-e-Taibas (LeT) founder leader.

Responding to a question,Dogar said involvement of the Indian intelligence agency,Research and Analysis Wing (RAW),in various terror strikes that have rocked the province in the recent past is yet to be ascertained.

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The involvement of the Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing in any incident of terrorism in Punjab has yet to be determined as investigations are underway and all those arrested so far are Pakistanis, The Daily Times quoted Dogar,as saying.

He also claimed that the Punjab Police has solved all major cases of terrorism,including the suicide bombing targeting the Rescue 15 building in Lahore and other attacks in Rawalpindi and has arrested the culprits.

Saeed was reportedly placed under house arrest earlier this week.

The Pakistani authorities had also barred him from leading Eid prayers.

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Saeeds house arrest came three days after police in Faisalabad registered two FIRs under the Anti-Terrorism Act for inciting people to wage jihad.

While India has continuously been demanding stern action Saeed and has provided Islamabad half a dozen dossiers containing proof regarding Saeeds involvement in the 26/11 carnage,Pakistan maintains that there is not enough evidence against him.

India sees Saeeds arrest as a face saving exercise and sources believe that if the Lashkar chief is not punished for the 26/11 Mumbai attack,it will have a negative impact on bilateral relations and ensure limited dialogue.

It is not only India but the US too has been exerting pressure on Pakistan to act against Saeed recently.

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US envoy to India Timothy Roamer had earlier urged Pakistan to punish Saeed.

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