Pakistan SC grants relief to Hafiz Saeed; rejects govt's appeal against donations to his foundations

The federal government of Pakistan had appealed in the apex court against an interim order of the Lahore High Court which allowed Saeed’s foundation charities to continue their social work. The appeal has been rejected by the Supreme Court.

Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed/ (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: Providing relief to the Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Wednesday removed the ban on charities to the bodies Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF). Earlier, Pakistan’s federal government had banned companies and individuals from making donations to JuD, FIF, and other organizations of Hafiz Saeed which were on the UN Security Council sanctions list. The federal government had appealed in the apex court against an interim order of the Lahore High Court which allowed Saeed’s foundation charities to continue their social work. The appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court on Wednesday. The verdict was issued by a two-member bench including Justice Manzoor Ahmed and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood. On April 5, the government of Pakistan had filed an appeal against Lahore High Court’s interim order after high court restrained the government from interfering with the social welfare organizations of Hafiz Saeed.  It also allowed the legal activities of JuD and FIF, rejecting the ban imposed by the federal government.  As per reports, FIF owned 369 ambulances, had helped 72,000 persons to charity hospitals and treated 600,000 patients in 2017. Officials said JuD's network also includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance service. The government had banned donations to Saeed’s organizations following UN  Security Council sanctions list. JuD chief Saeed termed the Supreme Court verdict as a "victory of justice and truth". (With inputs from PTI)