International Pressure Mounting, Relocate Hafiz Saeed To A West Asian Country: China Tells Pakistan

Pakistan’s all-weather friend China has told the country that it should move Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed to a West Asian country to keep him out of the limelight, The Hindu has reported.

The idea of relocating Saeed to a west Asian country was pitched by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on the sidelines of the Boao Forum in China last month. China’s suggestion, the report suggests, comes amid mounting international pressure to act against the terrorist.

“At a 35-minute meeting, at least 10 minutes of the discussion dealt with Saeed. The Chinese President was keen on pressing the Prime Minister to find an early solution to keep Saeed away from the limelight,” one of Abbasi’s close aid told the daily.

The issue, however, will be left for the new government to resolve. The current government’s term ends on 31 May and elections are due at July-end.

Declared a global terrorist by the United Nations, the United States and India, Saeed was put under house arrest by Pakistan for almost nine months last year. He was, however, released on the orders of the Lahore High Court.