Imran Khan backs Hafiz Saeed as PTI submits adjournment notice against ban on JuD

Leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Monday supported 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed as the party submitted an adjournment notice against the ban on Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), media reports said. PTI’s decision comes a day after Pakistan said it was working on a draft bill to permanently ban Saeed-led JuD as well as other terror groups and individuals on the interior ministry’s watch list.

#BREAKING - Imran Khan's PTI submits adjournment notice against ban on JuD. @Zakka_Jacob with more information. pic.twitter.com/eatOFfqaGj

— News18 (@CNNnews18) April 9, 2018

The bill will replace the presidential ordinance that banned outfits and people already on the watch list of the interior ministry. Citing its sources in the law ministry, Dawn reported that the proposed draft bill to amend the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997 was likely to be tabled in the upcoming session of the National Assembly scheduled to commence on Monday.

On 6 April, Saeed on Friday mocked the recent ban imposed by the US on his Milli Muslim League (MML) party, saying the move has proved the organisations “credibility”.

The US State Department amended its designation of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) on Monday, identifying MML and Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir (TAJK) as LeT affiliates, making it impossible for them to register as political parties.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has released a consolidated list of terrorist individuals and organisations , with 139 entries from Pakistan alone including prominent names such as Dawood Ibrahim and LeT chief Saeed.

With inputs from agencies