Pakistan cancels weapons licence to Hafiz Saeed’s militant outfits

After acknowledging Hafiz Saeed as 'serious threat' and putting him in jail, the Pakistan government has now cancelled weapons licences issued to his militant organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawaah (JuD).

The Pakistan government has now cancelled the licences of 44 weapons issued to Jamaat-ud-Dawaah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and other members of his organisations, citing security reasons.

A PTI report quoting an official of the Punjab home department said the step has been taken in line with the government's action against Saeed and his organisations – the Jamaat-ud-Dawaah (JuD) and the Falaha-e-Insanyat (FIF).

''The Punjab home department cancelled licences of 44 weapons for security reasons,'' the official was quoted as saying.

The Pakistan government has recently acknowledged JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been listed under an anti-terrorism law, as "serious threat" to the nation and placed him under house arrest in the country's "larger interest".

According to the Punjab home department notification, ''Both JuD and FIF are engaged in certain activities which could be prejudicial to peace and security and in violation of Pakistan's obligations to the United Nations Security Council Resolution and both organisations have been placed in the Second Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.''

''Hafiz Saeed, Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Kashif Niazi are engaged in certain activities which could be prejudicial to peace and security.''

The federal government has also put JuD and FIF on the watch list for six months.

Saeed, who carries a $10-million bounty on his head, was also put under house arrest after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack but he was freed by Lahore High Court in 2009.