LHC allows JuD Chief’s case to be shifted to Lahore

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has allowed shifting a terrorism financing case against Hafiz Saeed, the chief of the banned Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) from an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Gujranwala to one in Lahore.

A petition filed by Hafiz Saeed was heard by LHC Chief Justice Sardar Shamim Ahmed in which he said that he was being kept in a jail in Lahore but was transported to Gujranwala for every appearance before the court.

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Saeed said that in light of the security situation, appearing before the Gujranwala court was not fitting. He added that if he was being held in a jail in Lahore, the case should also be shifted there.

During the proceedings, a lawyer for the government said that they had no objection to shifting the case. Issuing the order, the LHC chief justice wrapped up the petition.

In July, the ATC arrested Saeed in connection with the terrorism financing case while on his way from Lahore to Gujranwala. Prior to his arrest, the top 13 leaders of JuD, including Saeed and Naib Emir Abdul Rehman Makki, were booked in nearly two dozen cases for terror financing and money laundering under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.