Pakistan court asks government to reply to Hafiz Saeed plea on US bounty

LAHORE: A Pakistani court has asked the Government to respond to JuD chief Hafiz Saeed's plea seeking direction to raise with the US the matter of USD 10 million bounty slapped on the founder of LeT, blamed for 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Lahore High Court Judge Masood Abid Naqvi yesterday issued the notice to the government to file a reply by December 23 on the petition of Saeed and his brother-in-law Abdul Rahman Makki.

The petition has been pending in the LHC for the last two years.

Saeed, the founder of banned terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, moved the court after the US Government slapped $10 million bounty on him and his brother-in-law in April 2003.

Saeed's counsel A K Dogar, requested the court to order the government to take up the matter with the US administration without any further delay.

He further pleaded that the government should also seek evidence from the US on the basis of which it put the head money on Saeed.

Dogar, however, did not press on providing government security to Saeed which was part of the petition first moved in 2012.

He said both the Supreme Court and the LHC had already exonerated Saeed of all charges levelled against him by India and the US, regarding his involvement in terror activities, especially the Mumbai attacks.

He claimed that the US had put head money on Saeed at "the behest of India".

He said head money is usually announced on accused hiding in mountains or not traceable while Saeed and Makki were available and ready to face any investigation.

The court adjourned the hearing till December 23.