Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed was arrested inPakistan by the counter terrorism unit on Wednesday, media reported.
Hafiz Saeed who has several cases pending against him wastravelling to Gujranwala from Lahore to appear before an anti-terrorism courtto seek pre-arrest bail when he was taken into custody by the Counter TerrorismDepartment (CTD).
A CTD official told media Hafiz Saeed had been presented inan anti-terrorism court and sent to prison. He added that the charge sheetagainst Saeed will be presented soon. The official further said that a caseagainst Hafiz Saeed had been lodged under the anti-terrorism act, Pakistanimedia quoted Reuters as saying.
“The main charge is that he is gathering funds forbanned outfits, which is illegal,” Punjab Chief Minister’s spokesmanShahbaz Gill was quoted as saying.
The CTD has been directed to complete its investigation andsubmit a charge sheet to the court in the stipulated time.
On July 3, top 13 leaders of the banned JuD, including Saeedand Naib Emir Abdul Rehman Makki, were booked in nearly two dozen cases forterror financing and money laundering under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
The CTD, which registered the cases in five cities ofPunjab, declared that the JuD was financing terrorism from the massive fundscollected through non-profit organisations and trusts including Al-AnfaalTrust, Dawatul Irshad Trust, Muaz Bin Jabal Trust, etc.
These non-profit organisations were banned in April as theCTD during detailed investigations found that they had links with the JuD andits top leadership, accused of financing terrorism by building hugeassets/properties from the collected funds in Pakistan.
Monday, a Lahore High Court division bench sought repliesfrom the Ministry of Interior, Punjab home department and CTD on a petition ofJuD chief Hafiz Saeed and his seven aides challenging an FIR carrying a chargeof terror financing.
Also on Monday, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore hadgranted pre-arrest bail to the JuD chief and three others in a case pertainingto the outfit’s alleged illegal use of land for its seminary, against suretybonds of Rs 50,000 each.