Hafiz Saeed pulling strings in Pakistan from behind bars: Pak media

Hafiz Saeed is reportedly still pulling the strings from behind the bars in Pakistan. In a report by a Pakistan news organisation, the LeT chief allegedly played a role in the case of Salahuddin Ayubi, a victim of Pakistan police brutality.  According to Pakistan news reports, the father of Salahuddin Ayubi, Muhammad Afzal, met with the mastermind of 26/11 Hafiz Saeed in Lahore's Camp Jail. The terrorist reportedly convinced Afzal to pardon the three Pakistan police officials, who allegedly were responsible for the death of Ayubi. The pardon for the alleged ATM thief came in exchange for a school, a gas network in the victim's village Gorali and link road. 

"I was taken to the prison and Hafiz (Saeed) Sahab gave me three options: the policemen are ready to face the punishment if you want; they are ready to give you money if you demand blood money, or you can forgive them for Allah," a Pakistani news report said quoting Salahuddin Ayubi's father. 

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Rejecting the reports of brutality, the Pakistan police said that Ayubi died after suffering a heart attack following his arrest. His death had stirred nation-wide outrage in September. 

FATF has expressed its displeasure over Pakistan's inaction in fighting the terror outfits extending its grey list status with warnings of further action if the country fails to comply with the action plan suggested. The new deadline for Pakistan is February 2020 before which it has to act on the recommendations of the FATF, failure to which might get it blacklisted.

Terrorist Hafiz Saeed has been operating in Pakistan, despite being designated as a global terrorist and the country facing the heat of the global community and FATF. In a sham crackdown on terror, the LeT chief as declared guilty of terror financing by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in a Pakistani court on August 7. 

On March 2019, a fearful Pakistan had even blocked a team of UN to interview terrorist Hafiz Saeed, by rejecting their visas. The JuD was declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. The JuD chief also carries a USD 10 million American bounties on his head for his role in terror activities. However, Hafiz Saeed's 8th arrest coincided with Imran Khan's maiden US visit after taking charge as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. 

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Here's an account of the times Hafiz Saeed was arrested:

• December 2001
• May 2002
• October 2002
• August 2006 (twice)
• December 2008
• September 2009
• January 2017

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