LAHORE: Mumbai terror attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed was arrested on terror financing charges by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab Province on Wednesday, just days ahead of Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s maiden visit to the US.
Saeed, a UN-designated terrorist whom the US has placed a $10 million bounty on, was travelling to Gujranwala from Lahore to get pre-arrest bail in terror financing cases registered against him there when he was arrested, a CTD official said.
NSA Ajit Doval reportedly met PM Narendra Modi to brief him on the arrest.
However, political experts in India feel that it’s just an eyewash to obviate the negative fallout of the international pressure. The arrests follow warnings issued by Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that seeks to stem the flow of finances to terrorist networks.
Calling it diversionary tactics, long-time Pakistan watcher Ashok Behuria said it’s a fallout of world pressure on Pakistan.
“The FATF, pressure from the international community and also upcoming US visit has shaped this action,” Behuria, a senior fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses in New Delhi, said.
“This exhibition of action is only to create a conducive atmosphere before Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan lands in the US,” he added.
Major General SB Asthana (Retd), a security analyst, is of the view that this arrest will not yield much for Pakistan.
“Pakistan-based terror outfits obliterate the old identity and pick a new one and keep running their work as usual,” he said.
Pakistan under the international pressure had banned Jamaat ud Dawa and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation but both of them underwent a name change.
Al Madina and Al Aisar were the new names adopted.
Pakistan has arrested Hafiz Saeed multiple times in the past but he has been released every time for want of evidence.