JuD aid offer: US says thanks, but no thanks

JuD chief had offered financial, humanitarian assistance to the US after widespread damage by hurricane Sandy.

MULTAN/ISLAMABAD:
The United States Embassy in Islamabad on Wednesday declined Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed's offer for financial and humanitarian assistance to America in wake of the destruction caused by hurricane Sandy.


“We respect the Islamic tradition of help to the needy, but we can’t take Hafiz Saeed’s offer seriously.”


"Saaed is wanted for suspected involvement in the Mumbai attacks, which killed 166. JuD is a UN&US-designated terrorist org."

On October 30, Saeed had offered financial and humanitarian assistance to the US as the hurricane wrought devastation on north America's east coast.

“I am following the teachings of Islam and have offered assistance to the people and government of United States because our religion teaches this ideology. Unlike the US government, we do not believe that only help those people, countries and governments where the US have vested interests.


"Jamaat-ud-Dawa is ready to send its volunteers, doctors, food, medicines and other relief items on humanitarian grounds if the US government allows us," Saeed said.

Talking about why the organisation was offering assistance to the US despite the $10 million bounty placed on him by them, he added, "America may have any opinion about us, it may fix bounties on our heads but as followers of the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), we feel it is our Islamic duty to help the needy and those in suffering, including Americans trapped in a catastrophe, without discriminating."

This offer is not only for the people of the United States but for nations of the world who have been suffering and inflicted from any natural disaster.

Saeed also mentioned his organisation’s offer for humanitarian assistance in the past. “We have even offered India in the past for any help we can offer because religion or any ideology are not the enemy but our enemy are all those who support barbarism and activities against humanity. Islam is for all nations. We have helped followers of Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism in the past without any discrimination and our aid activities in the past are proof of my offer to the US.”

Saeed added that the organisation did not classify people as terrorists because terrorists are never for helping and welfare of the people.

JuD workers have already started a campaign to gather volunteers for helping hurricane victims in the United States.
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