U.S. “concerned” about LeT rally
To a question on whether the United States had raised
with Pakistan its view on the Difa-e-Pakistan Council rally in Karachi
last week, the State Department said it was “concerned about the recent
public appearances of Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader Hafiz Saeed,” at the rally.
Pointing
out that the Lashkar-e-Taiba and its front group Jamaat-ud-Dawa were
internationally sanctioned because of their associations with al-Qaeda, a
State Department spokesperson said, “We have and continue to urge the
Government of Pakistan to uphold its obligations in accordance with U.N.
Security Council Resolution 1267/1989. That resolution calls for all
countries to freeze assets of sanctioned groups, prevent the transfer of
arms to them, and prevent sanctioned individuals from entering or
transiting their territories.”
In comments to The Hindu Lisa
Curtis, Senior Research Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, a think tank
based in Washington, said, “It is reprehensible and irresponsible on
the part of Pakistani authorities to permit JuD leader Hafiz Saeed to
hold political rallies. The U.S. and the U.N. have recognised JuD as a
front organisation for the Lashkar-eTayyiba, responsible for the 2008
terrorist attacks in Mumbai...”
Ms. Curtis cautioned
that allowing Saeed to operate freely was not only damaging to
Indo-Pakistani peace efforts, but it “casts overall doubt on Pakistan's
commitment to fighting international terrorism.” She said when Pakistani
authorities permitted terrorist leaders to operate openly and conduct
rallies, they were undercutting Pakistan's counterterrorism credentials.
Especially
in the light of the court testimony by David Headley, which indicated
Pakistani intelligence service involvement in the Mumbai attacks, Ms.
Curtis said, “It is even more unbelievable that Pakistani officials
would allow Saeed this kind of political space.”
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