Hot on Pakistan’s heels, US now raises concerns about Hafiz Saeed running for office in 2018

The Indian Express
 Express Web Desk | Washington | Updated: December 20, 2017 9:19 am

Just two weeks after it criticised the Pakistan government for the release of Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed from house arrest, the US on Wednesday raised concerns about the 26/11 mastermind running for office in 2018.
“Saeed, who was released by Pakistan from house arrest last November resulting in angry reaction from the US, was the mastermind of the Mumbai terrorist attacks and is leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba,” PTI quoted State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert as saying.
The US has designated Saeed as a global terrorist and has a bounty of $10 million on his head. He is also on the UN terror list and has recently petitioned the global body seeking removal of his name since none of the allegations against him – either related to terrorism or otherwise – has been proved in the Pakistani courts.
Nauert said the US pursuance for re-arresting Saeed would continue. “It’s a group (JuD) that the US government considers to be a terror organisation. We have many conversations with the government of Pakistan. Pakistan released him from house arrest, and now there’s word that he may be running for some sort of office,” she said.
After his release on November 24, the The LeT founder had confirmed that JuD would contest the 2018 general elections in Pakistan under the banner of the Milli Muslim League, which is yet to be registered with the Election Commission
“We have a $10 million Reward for Justice programme for information that will bring him to justice. We would certainly have concerns about him running for office,” Nauert said. Two weeks ago, the US had also strongly condemned the release of Saeed and had called for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution. However, top Pakistani diplomats based in the US have said that there was no evidence against Saeed.

“The JuD is considered a foreign terror organisation by the US government for a reason, and for a good reason,” Nauert said. “If we had any intelligence, and that’s not an area that I can discuss anyway, but we would certainly share it with the Pakistani’s on that front. I hope they’ll do the right thing,” Nauert added.

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