Mainstreaming Terror: Pakistan Removes 26/11 Mastermind Hafiz Saeed’s Jamaat-ud-Dawa, FiF From Banned Outfits’ List

Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FiF), two banned outfits led by Hafiz Saeed is no longer present on the list of banned outfits in Pakistan. This is due to the lapsing of the presidential ordinance issued earlier that got the country to enlist the two (outfits) of them as per a UN resolution.

Earlier in February, former president Mamnoon Hussain issued the ordinance that led to the amendment of the Anti-terrorism Act, 1997, leading to the declaration of JuD and FiF as proscribed groups. A petition filed by Saeed was heard on Thursday, October 25. His counsel reminded the High Court of Islamabad that the ordinance had lapsed, The Tribune reported.

Currently, JuD and FiF are on the watch list of the UN Security Council. Saeed has co-founded Lashkar-i-Taiba, a terrorist outfit and has masterminded the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in India. In the attack that took place in 2008, nearly 166 people were killed. The Indian government has been fiercely demanding Pakistan to bring to justice the ones who planned the attack.

According to the website of National Counter Terrorism Authority, a list that has been revised marks 66 organisations as banned in the country (Pakistan). This list does not include either JuD or FiF.