Attacks in Pakistan are no jihad: Hafiz Saeed

Saeed asserted that a conspiracy was being hatched by India and US against Pakistan.

LAHORE: Extremist activities within Pakistan are not "jihad" says Hafiz Saeed, chief of the banned group Jamaat-ud-Dawa said on Monday, Press Trust of India reported.

In his "fatwa" against the attacks, Saeed said militants should not carry out attacks in the country.

"Militant activities in Pakistan do not fall in the category of jihad. I appeal to all jihadi organisations not to carry out attacks inside Pakistan as it is not jihad (holy war). America and India are taking benefit from their activities."

Saeed who is alleged to be responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks issued the statement in response to the attacks in Quetta. The attacks killed as many as 25 people was claimed by the banned militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and the Balochistan Liberation Army.

On Saturday, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's residency in Ziarat was destroyed in an attack by the BLA. A policeman who was deployed at the residency was killed.

Hours later, a bus carrying female university students was blown up and a subsequent attack was carried out at the hospital where the injured passengers were taken. Altogether 25 people were killed, including 14 women students and four nurses.

Saeed though asserted that a conspiracy was being hatched by India and US against Pakistan.

"They want infighting among different schools of thought to achieve their vested interest," Saeed said.

He claimed that efforts were being made to set everyone against his party, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD).

"Our strength is in unity and not in infighting among us. However, Muslims will have to continue jihad to maintain their freedom," concluded Saeed.