It has been over a week since 26/11 Mumbai attack accused and chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) Hafiz Saeed was taken into ‘preventive custody’ by the government following what was flaunted by the ISPR as a “policy decision by state institutions,” but there are few signs to suggest that this was a shift going forward.
If nation-wide commemorations for Kashmir Day were any indicator, we are witnessing the re-branding of organizations linked to Hafiz Saeed. The moniker now being used is Tehreek Azadi Jammu and Kashmir (TAJK)—a tag that Hafiz Saeed used previously as well. This year TAJK organized pro-Kashmir freedom struggle rallies and its banners and streamers turned up in cities and towns on Kashmir Day instead of what previously used to be a JuD show.
JuD office-bearers say TAJK is an issue-based alliance of Kashmir-focused groups, which would place the K-issue on the forefront instead of the party’s identity. Understandably, organizations run by Hafiz Saeed, including JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat, would be a part of such an alliance that actually came into the limelight only after action was taken against the cleric out of fear of Financial Action Task Force sanctions on Pakistani financial transactions for not implementing UN restrictions against him. Both the JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat continue to function normally. The only change is that they have lowered the public profile of their organizations. For instance, instead of their own flags, they have hoisted the national flag at their offices.
“The entire set-up is working under the TAJK banner,” a JuD official said during a brief interaction. He was quick to add that the decision about putting TAJK on the front was taken by Hafiz Saeed himself. He contended that JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat have been put under observation and not proscribed, so there was no point in halting their work. It is here that it is worth considering the context of the UN’s proscription of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—the organization once headed by Hafiz Saeed and accused of involvement in the Mumbai attacks. The UN clearly mentions the JuD as LeT’s front organization, which was used by the LeT to “finance terrorist activity and provide training, logistical and infrastructural support to further such activity”. A US listing, meanwhile, includes both the JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat.
Meanwhile, though, no charges have been brought against Hafiz Saeed, who remains under house arrest. He was detained on January 30 under Section 11-EEEE of the Anti-Terrorism Act, according to which Hafiz Saeed has to be interrogated by a police officer or a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) set up by the government. The government has not as yet set up a JIT. The only action taken against him since his house arrest is a travel ban by putting his name on the Exit Control List.
Government ministers offer little insight into what course of action was planned for Hafiz Saeed.
Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Barjees Tahir says that the action was undertaken to deny India the excuse to evade dialogue. “India does not have any proof against him,” he added. Another federal minister, Khurram Dastagir, meanwhile, said that an FIR or case would be registered against him—but he could not say when. The foreign ministry’s stance is that international obligations have been met by detaining Hafiz Saeed at home.
“What Pakistan has done is actually in line with the international obligation as well as the implementation of the National Action Plan,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria said. “Pakistan had taken all actions against proscribed elements that were required under the UN sanctions.”
And thus, these developments unambiguously reveal the contours of the new policy for Hafiz Saeed and his organization. At best it is just to remove his face from public view to address international criticism against allowing complete freedom of movement to a UN-listed person. The operational arm of his organisation would, in the meantime, keep working.
This perception is in a way corroborated by China which blocked a US move to designate Pathankot accused Hafiz Masood Azhar, who heads militant group Jaish-e-Muhammad. Beijing had earlier repeatedly blocked a similar Indian effort to have the Jaish chief banned till the proposal lapsed for technical reasons. Beijing would not do this on its own as it is least concerned about Azhar. There is little doubt that China does this on Islamabad’s behalf.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang has stressed counter-terrorism cooperation based on “mutual respect”. This implies China does not want Pakistan to be publicly embarrassed on terrorism.
But, Kang’s comments at a media briefing carried an oblique message for Islamabad as well: it needed to cooperate with the world on this issue. “I want to stress again that China supports international counter-terrorism cooperation.” But, the caveat is that Pakistan should be allowed to independently “formulate and implement” counter-terrorism measures and “conduct international counter-terrorism cooperation”.
The writer is a freelance journalist based in Islamabad and can be reached at mamoonarubab@gmail.com
If nation-wide commemorations for Kashmir Day were any indicator, we are witnessing the re-branding of organizations linked to Hafiz Saeed. The moniker now being used is Tehreek Azadi Jammu and Kashmir (TAJK)—a tag that Hafiz Saeed used previously as well. This year TAJK organized pro-Kashmir freedom struggle rallies and its banners and streamers turned up in cities and towns on Kashmir Day instead of what previously used to be a JuD show.
JuD office-bearers say TAJK is an issue-based alliance of Kashmir-focused groups, which would place the K-issue on the forefront instead of the party’s identity. Understandably, organizations run by Hafiz Saeed, including JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat, would be a part of such an alliance that actually came into the limelight only after action was taken against the cleric out of fear of Financial Action Task Force sanctions on Pakistani financial transactions for not implementing UN restrictions against him. Both the JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat continue to function normally. The only change is that they have lowered the public profile of their organizations. For instance, instead of their own flags, they have hoisted the national flag at their offices.
If nation-wide commemorations for Kashmir Day were any indicator, we are witnessing the re-branding of organizations linked to Hafiz Saeed. The moniker now being used is Tehreek Azadi Jammu and Kashmir (TAJK)-a tag that Hafiz Saeed used previously as well. This year TAJK organized pro-Kashmir rallies instead of what used to be a JuD show
“The entire set-up is working under the TAJK banner,” a JuD official said during a brief interaction. He was quick to add that the decision about putting TAJK on the front was taken by Hafiz Saeed himself. He contended that JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat have been put under observation and not proscribed, so there was no point in halting their work. It is here that it is worth considering the context of the UN’s proscription of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—the organization once headed by Hafiz Saeed and accused of involvement in the Mumbai attacks. The UN clearly mentions the JuD as LeT’s front organization, which was used by the LeT to “finance terrorist activity and provide training, logistical and infrastructural support to further such activity”. A US listing, meanwhile, includes both the JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat.
Meanwhile, though, no charges have been brought against Hafiz Saeed, who remains under house arrest. He was detained on January 30 under Section 11-EEEE of the Anti-Terrorism Act, according to which Hafiz Saeed has to be interrogated by a police officer or a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) set up by the government. The government has not as yet set up a JIT. The only action taken against him since his house arrest is a travel ban by putting his name on the Exit Control List.
Government ministers offer little insight into what course of action was planned for Hafiz Saeed.
Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Barjees Tahir says that the action was undertaken to deny India the excuse to evade dialogue. “India does not have any proof against him,” he added. Another federal minister, Khurram Dastagir, meanwhile, said that an FIR or case would be registered against him—but he could not say when. The foreign ministry’s stance is that international obligations have been met by detaining Hafiz Saeed at home.
“What Pakistan has done is actually in line with the international obligation as well as the implementation of the National Action Plan,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria said. “Pakistan had taken all actions against proscribed elements that were required under the UN sanctions.”
And thus, these developments unambiguously reveal the contours of the new policy for Hafiz Saeed and his organization. At best it is just to remove his face from public view to address international criticism against allowing complete freedom of movement to a UN-listed person. The operational arm of his organisation would, in the meantime, keep working.
This perception is in a way corroborated by China which blocked a US move to designate Pathankot accused Hafiz Masood Azhar, who heads militant group Jaish-e-Muhammad. Beijing had earlier repeatedly blocked a similar Indian effort to have the Jaish chief banned till the proposal lapsed for technical reasons. Beijing would not do this on its own as it is least concerned about Azhar. There is little doubt that China does this on Islamabad’s behalf.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang has stressed counter-terrorism cooperation based on “mutual respect”. This implies China does not want Pakistan to be publicly embarrassed on terrorism.
But, Kang’s comments at a media briefing carried an oblique message for Islamabad as well: it needed to cooperate with the world on this issue. “I want to stress again that China supports international counter-terrorism cooperation.” But, the caveat is that Pakistan should be allowed to independently “formulate and implement” counter-terrorism measures and “conduct international counter-terrorism cooperation”.
The writer is a freelance journalist based in Islamabad and can be reached at mamoonarubab@gmail.com