Lahore HC restrains Pak government from arresting Hafiz Saeed

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday restrained the federal and Punjab governments from arresting Jammat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed until further orders, the Dawn reported.

On January 23, Saeed had reportedly moved to the court against his possible arrest and alleged that the governments are under pressure from the United States and India.

The court had ordered both governments to submit their replies regarding the petitioner's allegations.

After failing to submit their replies in today's hearing, the federal and Punjab governments requested for more time.

Expressing dismay over the respondents' failure to comply with orders, Justice Ameenuddin Khan, who heard the case today, directed the counsel for both governments to file replies in the case by April 4.

Saeed was designated a "terrorist" by the United Nations and has a USD 10 million-bounty placed on him by the United States in 2012.

The US State Department in 2014 had designated the JuD as a "foreign terrorist organisation", a status that freezes the assets of an organisation that falls within its jurisdiction.