US bounty: LHC issues notices on Saeed’s plea for security

Hafiz Saeed asks court to direct Punjab government to provide him security.

LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday directed the federal and provincial law officers to file comments of Federal Interior Ministry and Punjab Home Department on Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) Chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed’s petition for security.

The petition filed by Saeed and his brother-in-law Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki sought protection for Saeed and his associates following the announcement of $10 million bounty on them by the United States.

The LHC bench, headed by Chief Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, also directed the petitioners to approach the Punjab Home Department to seek security.

The US had recently announced a $10 million bounty on Saeed besides $3 million on his brother-in-law Makki.


The petitioners submitted that the US had announced a bounty on the instigation of India and stated that the US wanted to please India.

They added there was fear of them being handed over to the US by Pakistani authorities, and therefore, their lives and their families’ lives could be at risk.

They prayed to the court to order the federal and provincial interior ministers to not hand them over to any other country. It was also urged to direct the Punjab government to provide them adequate security.

Issuing notice to secretaries of Federal Interior Ministry, Punjab Home secretary and other respondents for April 25, 2012, Chief Justice Saeed directed the federal and provincial law officers to file their comments on the next date of hearing.

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