As the court resumed hearing, the deputy attorney general stated that the ministry had sought details on the matter from the US State Department. “The ministry will be able to submit its reply after getting the required details from the US,” he said. The law officer sought more time from the court.
Justice Masood Abid Naqvi adjourned the hearing till February 26. He directed the law officer to ensure submission of the reply on the next date.
Previously, the ministry had told the court that the US decision to set the bounty on the petitioners was not binding in Pakistan.
The petitioners stated that they had been running a charitable organisation and had no relation with any banned outfit.
Their counsel said that the US Under-Secretary of State Wendy Sherman had stated in New Delhi that they had set $10 million and $3 million on the heads of Hafiz Saeed and Hafiz Makki, respectively.
The counsel argued that the US had acted on the instigation of India. He mentioned that Pakistani superior courts had already exonerated Hafiz Saeed of all charges levelled against him by India and US.
“Head money is always announced for those who are hiding and are not traceable. However, the petitioners are available and ready to face any investigation. Foreign Office had made it clear to the US that concrete evidence should be provided against the petitioners,” the counsel said.
“Addressing a joint session of parliament, the prime minister had stated that the issue of Hafiz Saeed was an internal issue,” he said.
“Therefore, the announcement of bounty on the heads of the petitioners should be withdrawn. Being Pakistani citizens, the petitioners need to be protected,” the counsel said. He requested the court to direct the government to provide protection to the petitioners and make arrangements for their security.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2014.
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@Raj - USA: I personally don't like Hafiz Saeed only because he is a symbol of theocracy in Pakistan just like many other Maulvis. BUT if you want his voice samples they are readily available on youtube. I am sure if I can have his voice samples US and India can too. India can go on propagating that he is involved without any proof will not make him a terrorist. Our courts need concrete evidence, the only thing Pakistan had got was some juice wrappers and chocolate wrappers. Pakistan was not given access to the alleged lone survivor "Ajmal Kasab", and he was hanged with all evidence buried. On the other hand Pakistan has given full access to the case in Pakistani courts and the alleged "master mind" to the Indian diplomats here, but they were not able to give some convincing proof. Anyways my fried you have to look into the black sheeps on your side of the border who want such incidents to happen in India and want a war with Pakistan. Pakistan is absolutely not interested in a war with India or any country, its fighting a war against an enemy which is dangerous not only to Pakistan but the whole region. So what Pakistan expects is to stop using Afghan soil against Pakistan, that's the most we expect from India, which I am sure you will deny and live in self denial
Govt. asked to provide protection and security to planners of Bombay massacre?
Pakistan should provide voice samples of all those wanted by India and USA in connection to the Mumbai attacks so that the proofs of voice samples provided by India and USA could be converted to acceptable evidences ..... evidences acceptable to the courts. Voice recordings needs to be authenticated as actually belonging to the persons accused to be converted as acceptable evidences. For this to be done, voice samples have to be collected under proper procedures and compared with the voices on the recordings. US and India have already compared the voices on the recordings with the voices of the accused and are sure that they belong to the accused. Still, the voices have to be compared to voice samples properly collected. If done so, it is an acceptable proof anywhere in the world, including Pakistan. Pakistan refuses to provide voice samples citing the rights of accused not to provide voice samples. Pakistan claims that India has not provided evidences when in fact, the evidences are in Pakistan and Pakistan is concealing the evidences and refusing to hand over those evidences of voice samples to India and USA. Had Pakistan acted properly and justifiably, it would today have the moral authority to demand cooperation from Afghanistan. Afghans have seen the behavior of Pakistan in the Mumbai attacks and also in various terror activities inside Afghanistan and I am sure they do not trust Pakistan even a bit. They know that if they cooperate with Pakistan, it will be exploited and used against them. If they hand over any of Pakistan's wanted terrorists, they shall be holding huge rallies in Lahore preaching jihad against Afghanistan. Pakistan can cling on to Hafiz Saeed, Lekhvi and others involved in Mumbai attacks but it will only harm Pakistan. Pakistan's fear is that if Hafiz Saeed and others are exposed, they would expose Pakistan's ISI and Army. Only way Pakistan and its establishment can avoid this is by making all Mumbai attack accused persons disappear...... disappear the same way as thousands and thousands of Baluch nationalists. We saw Pakistan do the same in the case of Dr. Qadir Khan also. Pakistan did not allow Dr. Khan to be questioned directly by US.
Whenever courts are mentioned now, all I think is taliban-sympathizers. So it really doesn't matter what the judgement is. We all know, terrorists are terrorists.