Zeenews Bureau
Islamabad, July 03: Government of the Punjab province of Pakistan on Friday filed an appeal in the Pakistan's Supreme Court against release from detention of Jamaat-ud Dawah chief Hafeez Mohammad Saeed, who India claims is the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attacks.
The appeal against the Lahore High Court order, filed in the apex court this morning, said Saeed needed to be detained for his own "protection".
Saeed was released as per the Lahore High Court order on June 02.
"He (Saeed) cannot move without informing the government. According to my information he cannot move to any place," Punjab government's lawyer Rana Sanaullah said.
Shortly after release of Saeed, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and Pakistan's Attorney General Latif Khosa had said an appeal would be filed within "a matter of days".
The delay in approaching the Supreme Court could be due to differences on the issue between the federal and provincial governments, sources said.
Pakistani officials maintain that the restrictions imposed on JuD by UN Security Council – including a ban on travel and freezing the organisation's bank accounts – are being implemented.
59-year-old Saeed and several of his aides were placed under house arrest in December last year in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks. He was freed after he filed a petition challenging his detention in the High Court.
India had recently expressed concern at the delay by Pakistani authorities in appealing against the release of Saeed. Since his release, Saeed has held meetings with several political hardliners and militant leaders, including United Jehad Council chief Syed Salahuddin.
First Published: Friday, July 03, 2009, 11:59