LAHORE: While restraining the government from ‘harassing’ Hafiz Saeed, the Lahore High Court on Thursday allowed the Jamatud Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) to continue their ‘lawful welfare activities’ until further orders.
Justice Aminuddin Khan also sought reply from the interior ministry till April 23 on a petition filed by Hafiz Saeed challenging a notification issued by the ministry with regard to freezing of bank accounts and taking over assets associated with both the organizations under the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018.
Petitioner’s counsel AK Dogar said that the ministry of interior on February 10 had issued a notification for freezing of bank accounts and taking over assets of the JuD and FIF. He said the government acted under pressure from some foreign powers including UN and India.
The petitioner pleaded that Pakistan was a sovereign and independent state which has its own laws to govern its citizens. He said that in case of any conflict between the laws of the land and any provision of the United Nations Security Council Act, 1948, the law of the land should prevail.
He pointed out that 369 ambulances of the FIF helped 72,000 people to reach the charity hospitals and that 600,000 patients were provided treatment in the year 2017 alone. He said that the JuD had dug out 2,000 drinking water wells in Tharparkar, Balochistan and Baltistan.
He requested the court to declare the impugned nitrification of the interior ministry with regard to taking over assets of both the organizations null and void.
Published in Daily Times, April 6th 2018.
