Islamabad: India today termed the activities of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed as a matter of “grave concern”, saying that it was for Pakistan to rein in the banned group leader.
The comments by the Ministry of External Affairs comes in the backdrop of Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attack, lauding the lethal Pathankot fiasco and also threatening India of more terror assaults.
"Hafiz Saeed is globally-designated international terrorist. His claim that his many front organizations are carrying out charitable work is not even a fig leaf,” MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said today.
"He indulges in terrorist activities and terrorist financing. It should be a matter of grave concern to everyone that terrorist like Saeed and his associates continues to enjoy the freedom to indulge in their activities," he added.
Also read: Hafiz Saeed praises Pathankot air base attack, warns of escalation
Asserting that it was “up to Pakistan to rein in Saeed”, the MEA also noted that Pakistan had imposed a ban last year on the media coverage of militant groups like the JuD and LeT but contrary to that ban, the electronic media was showing Saeed's speeches.
Asked about the status of Indo-Pak Foreign Secretary-level talks, Swarup continued to maintain that no “mutually convenient” date has been agreed upon between the two countries.
National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan as well as the Foreign Secretaries are in touch with each other, he said, adding while the NSAs have been discussing the Pathankot terror attack investigation by Pakistan government, the two foreign secretaries are in touch on the dates issue.
Addressing a rally of around one thousand people on Wednesday in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, Saeed had expressed pride over the Pathankot attack and warned of more terror attacks on India. "You have only seen one attack on Pathankot. Matters could easily escalate," Saeed had said.
He alleged that Indian troops were committing "genocide" on Kashmiris and added "don't they have a right to carry out Pathankot-style attacks for their defence?"
Saeed, in the rally yesterday, also lauded Kashmiri militant leader Syed Salahuddin, who heads the United Jihad Council (UJC) that had claimed responsibility for the January 2 Pathankot attack.
(With PTI inputs)
