Hafiz Saeed’s counsel seeks answers over extended detention

Lawyer says the house arrest period was completed on April 30.

LAHORE: Jamatud Dawa Chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and four of his aides are under detention (house arrest) despite the fact that their detention tenure is over. Therefore, the responsible people should be brought to book.

This was stated by Advocate AK Dogar, counsel for Hafiz Saeed, as he appeared before the Lahore High Court on Tuesday. He said the three-month detention of Hafiz Saeed and his aides ended on April 29, but they were neither presented before a review board for an extension nor released.



According to Article 10(4) of the Constitution, a board was necessary to extend their detention, but no such body was formed and neither were the detained individuals presented before a legal forum.

“They have been detained illegally for 14 days and this in violation of their liberty provided by the Constitution,” he said.

Deputy Attorney General Naseer Bhutta told the court that a federal review board has been formed under Justice Ijaz Afzal’s supervision to deal with the case. He added that on May 13 Hafiz Saeed and other detainees were presented before the board which has not decided on the matter, thus far.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2017.