Lawyer's omnibus plea may free Saeed in one go
Lawyer's omnibus plea may free Saeed in one go
Dogar claims the cases against Saeed have no basis.

New Delhi: It's an indication of Pakistan's lack of seriousness in acting against Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief, Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Saeed's lawyer AK Dogar said that an all inclusive bail plea will be filed by Saeed.

"I will apply for omnibus bail for all cases filed against Hafiz Saeed," Dogar told CNN-IBN.

An omnibus bail plea means a hearing may be held to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to order a trial against Saeed.

This means if the bail plea is sanctioned by the court he will be cleared of all charges in one go. Dogar also said that the cases filed against him have no basis.

He denied Saeed's association with any banned organisation and also maintained that his client had made no references to Kashmir or Jihad in any speech. He said that Saeed only spoke of Jihad in terms of internal struggle.

The Pakistani authorities had filed two separate cases against Hafiz Saeed, a media report had stated on Thursday.

The cases were filed in two police stations in Faisalabad on the basis of sermons Saeed made recently, expressing his grave 'concerns' over the stand by India, Israel and the US on Pakistan's nuclear assets.

He also expressed 'concern' over the Pakistani government's change in Kashmir policy during his sermons at Iftar parties on August 26 and 27 in Faisalabad.

Saeed has been indicted on "charges of appealing for Jihad fund" despite a strict ban on such appeals, news agencies had reported on Thursday.

In December 2008, Saeed was brought under house arrest after Pakistani authorities banned the Jamaat-ud-Dawa. However, in June this year a Pakistani court released him.

Over 170 people, including 26 foreigners, were killed in the November 26-29, 2008 Mumbai attacks. India has accused Pakistan of blocking the enquiry into the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and safeguarding Saeed.

Saeed has yet to be arrested by Pakistan.

Pak not obliged to arrest Saeed: Rehman Malik

Meanwhile, Pakistan has said it is "not obliged" to immediately arrest the Lashkar-e-Toiba founder even if an Interpol Red Corner notice has been issued against him and claimed that evidence provided by India in three dossiers is "not sufficient" to link him to the 26/11 attacks.

"Pakistan needs to examine the evidence provided by India on the basis of which Interpol issued a Red Corner notice against Hafiz Saeed. Certain procedures are required to pursue the notice," Interior Minister Rehman Malik was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.

"We are free to make our own investigations against the man, and then take steps accordingly," he was further quoted by PTI as saying.

"We appeal to India to share information with us, and also to keep faith in our legal system and judiciary," he was quoted by PTI as saying and reiterated his claim that India could have averted the Mumbai attacks by sharing information with Pakistan after the arrest of two terrorists in India, Fahim Ansari and Saba-ud-din.

(With inputs from agencies)

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