Author: Saswat Panigrahi
Publication: Niticentral.com
Date: December 6, 2014
URL:   http://www.niticentral.com/2014/12/06/hafiz-saeeds-american-bounty-become-joke-farce-248510.html

Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, chief of Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), is roaming free in Pakistan making a mockery of the bounty announced by the US.

On December 4, while addressing a JuD ‘ishtimaah’ (congregation) at Minar-e-Pakistan ground in Lahore, Hafiz Saeed said Pakistanis should come forward and help the Kashmiris in getting “freedom” from India. The JuD chief said:

“If India can send troops to Afghanistan to help the US then ‘mujahideen’ have every right to go to Kashmir and help their brethren. Kashmiris are clamouring for help and it is our duty to respond to their call.”

Saeed, who is on the top of India’s list of most wanted terrorists, said:

“We want to tell Nawaz Sharif that if India does not listen ‘a language of love’ then he should provide an open support to the Kashmiris for their freedom struggle.”

This is an open secret that the two-day JuD congregation received all logistical support from the Government of Pakistan. Reports suggest that Nawaz Sharif Government had run two special trains, namely ‘Special train JuD one’ and ‘Special train JuD two’, to transport people from Karachi and Hyderabad to attend the JuD congregation in Lahore.

By allowing the JuD conclave and even providing it with all logistical support, Pakistan has sent two messages across. One, it is rattled by the massive turnout in the ongoing Jammu & Kashmir elections. Second, the neighbouring country has dropped all pretense of peace with India.

India has reacted strongly to the development saying Pakistan is doing “nothing short of mainstreaming terrorism.” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said:

“What is happening in the so-called ‘ishtimaah’ (congregation) of the JuD. I think I would describe it as nothing short of mainstreaming of terrorism. This was an event which took place in national monument in Pakistan. It was an event (for which) large number of police personnel were deployed. The event which was advertised all over Pakistan.

And it was an event by an organisation which is proscribed not only by India but the US, the UK, Australia and the UN… Also it was addressed by an individual who is designated as a terrorist by the UN Securitry Council…These sort of facilities are provided to the designated terrorist organisation or a designated terrorist entity.”

Hafiz Saeed is the mastermind of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, which snuffed out the lives of at least 166 innocent people. The attacks were executed by the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) inside Pakistan. It is to recall that sitting in that control room, LeT chief Hafiz Saeed personally oversaw the terror strikes along with his key lieutenant Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi. It is not only 26/11 attacks, Saeed is behind the 2001 Parliament House attack, 2011 Mumbai train bombings and 2012 Army convey attacks in Kashmir.

Hafiz Saeed continues to wage war against India through hate campaigns from inside Pakistan. He is working in tandem with the Pakistani establishment.

The United Nations had declared JuD a terror organisation in December 2008. Saeed was also individually designated as a dreaded terrorist by the United Nations under UNSCR 1267 in December 2008. The Resolution entails freezing of funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities and prevent the entry into or transit through their territories by designated individuals.

Saeed has a US bounty of 10 million dollars on him. But the fact of the matter is that the US condemnations on Hafiz Saeed have become routine. The Bounty which America announced on Saeed is meaningless indeed. While the US has gone after Taliban, al-Qaeda and Haqqani Network through drone strikes it has been content to announce only bounties and sanctions on JuD.

While Hafiz Saeed roams free in Pakistan making a mockery of Obama’s bounty and sanctions, it makes us wonder what is holding the Americans back? If Osama to Hakimullah to Ilyas Kashmiri have all fallen to Drone strikes why is Hafiz Saeed roaming free. What will it take for a Drone to find its way to JuD headquarters?

Come January 26 when US President Barak Obama comes to New Delhi to witness the Republic Day Parade these are the questions he better have a good answer to.