The Hindu : Inflammatory speech sends Saeed back to prison

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 17, 2002

International

International

Inflammatory speech sends Saeed back to prison

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD May 16. For the second time in recent months the Pakistan Government has detained Hafeez Mohammad Saeed, founder of the banned militant outfit, Lashkar-e-Taiba, reportedly on charges of making inflammatory speeches.

As his detention coincided with the visit of the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Christina Rocca and the Indian charges of involvement of a group considered to be affiliated to the Lashkar in the Jammu incident on Tuesday, it evoked interest in the diplomatic and political circles here.

But it is not in any way connected with the allegations made by the Indian authorities on the Jammu incident though it can be interpreted as an outcome of Ms. Rocca's `fire-fighting' mission to the region.

Reports suggest, as in the case of his first detention, Prof. Saeed has been picked up under what is known as the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). The Order enables the federal/provincial government in Pakistan to detain any person who is considered to be a threat to public order for a period of 90 days.

Arrest of Prof. Saeed in January under the MPO was initially seen as a sequel to the much-publicised address by the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, in which he promised action against religious and sectarian extremism.

He had declared that no one would be allowed to indulge in `jehad' (holy war) from the soil of Pakistan in the name of Kashmir.

However, the Pakistan Government was forced to release Prof. Saeed along with several other leaders and cadre of religious and sectarian outfit on the expiry of 90 days. The Government found it difficult to sustain the detention against majority of the arrested persons in the absence of specific charges.

Even before his detention in January, Prof. Saeed had resigned as chief of the Lashkar and announced that the outfit would henceforth confine its activities to Kashmir. Kashmiris from both sides of the divide were nominated to the executive council of the Lashkar with its headquarters in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. He had said that since it did not make a distinction between the PoK and Kashmir, its operations would be aimed at `liberation' of Kashmir from Indian `occupation'.

The parent organisation of the Lashkar, Markaz Daawa was also renamed Jamat-al-Daawa with the professed objective of confining itself to religious preaching and Hafiz Muhammad Saeed took over as its new chief.

Prof. Saeed was arrested on Wednesday evening when he was travelling for Islamabad from Lahore. He has been shifted to an unknown destination. It is said that he was preparing to hold a public meeting on May 19 at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore and coming to Islamabad in this connection.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

Stories in this Section

Results show major shift to right

Rocca mission 'a failure'

Inflammatory speech sends Saeed back to prison

Musharraf admits irregularities in referendum

German strike called off after pact

Blackwill's functioning under review?

Surprise at Chandrika `statement' on Kashmir

Stars ignore boycott call

Bush was warned of hijackings