Pak court grants more time to Hafiz Saeed's lawyers to complete arguments in terror financing case

An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan on Monday granted more time to Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's counsel to complete arguments in the terror financing case against him.

The Anti-Terrorism Court-I (ATC) indicted Saeed and his close aides - Hafiz Abdul Salam, Muhammad Ashraf and Zafar Iqbal - on terror financing charges on December 11.

"Advocates Naseeruddin Nayyar and Imran Fazal Gull, who are representing Saeed, presented their arguments for over four hours in the ATC Lahore here on Monday," a court official told PTI after the hearing.

They requested the court to give them more time to complete their arguments in defence of the founder of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) in two terror financing cases registered against him in Lahore and Gujranwala.

"ATC judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta accepted the plea of Saeed's lawyers and directed them to complete their arguments on next hearing," the official said.

The court adjourned the hearing till January 23.

Saeed and others were produced in the court in high security.

In a separate case of terror financing, JuD spokesperson Yahya Mujahid and its senior leader Abdur Rehman Makki were also presented in the ATC-I Lahore. The court adjourned the hearing of the case till January 23.

Saeed has already recorded his statement before the court in two terror financing cases against him in which he pleaded "not guilty".

The cases of terror financing have been registered against him in Lahore and Gujranwala cities on the application of Counter Terrorism Department of Punjab police.

Cross examination of prosecution witnesses against Saeed and his three close aides by the defense counsel has already been concluded.

The prosecution had produced a good number of witnesses against Saeed.

The CTD had registered 23 FIRs against Saeed and his accomplices on the charges of terror financing in different cities of Punjab province and arrested him on July 17. He is held at the Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore.

Saeed-led JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the Lashkar-e-Taiba which is responsible for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, including six Americans.

The US Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the US, since 2012, has offered a USD 10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice.

The US has also welcomed Saeed's indictment, urging Islamabad to ensure a full prosecution and expeditious trial of the charges against him.

The indictment followed growing international pressure on Pakistan to stop militant groups from collecting funds in the country and to take immediate action against those still involved in militant activities.