Lahore: Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, on Friday led Eid prayers at the famous Gaddafi stadium here, hours after Jamat-ud-Dawah chief tweeted that "time is near when those oppressed in Kashmir, Palestine and Burma will celebrate Eid in the air of Freedom".
Not only this, the event was duly advertised through posters all over the city. Observes link his duly publicised presence in Pakistan to a provocative plan by anti-India elements on the other side of the border to watch Indo-Pak peace dialogue in September derail. Thousands offered the prayers with Saeed, who carries a $10 million bounty by the US on his head. The US has said it continues to seek information on the LeT founder that can convict him in the court of law.
Saeed’s organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawa has links with terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and hence there has been an aggressive publicity of his presence prior to Eid - just after the killing of five Indian soldiers at the LoC. The two events can’t be seen in isolation, observers feel. In fact, this is part of saboteurs meticulously designed provocative plan to trigger anti-Pakistan sentiments in India and overthrow peace talks.
In his tweet Saeed said, "Time is near when those oppressed in Kashmir, Palestine and Burma will celebrate 'Eid' in the air of Freedom - Insha'Allah. #EidMubarak." "So, we say Eid Mubarak to you in these testing times; soon world will say Eid Mubarak to you after your triumph. May ALLAH accept."
"ALLAH will not waste your Sacrifices, Ummah will be glorified, Islam will be strengthened, that time is very near #kashmir," he tweeted from his account '@HafizSaeedJUD'.
India has repeatedly asked Pakistan to bring Saeed to justice for masterminding the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He has often been seen addressing anti-India rallies in Pakistan. Islamabad says it has no proof against him. Earlier this year in an interview to New York Times, Saeed had claimed that he was free to move around Pakistan as an ordinary person as his fate was in the hands of God and not America.
