Saeed begins campaigning for Milli Muslim League in Pakistan

Lahore: Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed has kicked off campaigning for the Milli Muslim League, the political front of the JuD, with an eye on the general elections in Pakistan this year.

The US last month designated the Milli Muslim League (MML) as a foreign terrorist organisation, saying the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) members make up MML’s leadership and the so-called party openly displays Saeed’s likeness in its election banners and literature.

The MML has not been yet registered by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Saeed yesterday held the MML’s first rally in Haroonabad, some 400 km from here, asking the participants to vote for the MML and canvass for it.

Former military dictator gen Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq’s son Ijazul Hasan was also present on the occasion. Saeed said the enemies of Pakistan want clash of institutions in the country so that it could achieve its nefarious designs.

“We have to be united to fail their (enemies) agenda,” he said. Saeed urged the Pakistani government to change its policy towards India. Talking about the MML priorities, the LeT founder said: “the MML wants the country economically strong. We will have to follow the Quaid-e-Azam’s vision to achieve a strong and prosperous Pakistan”.

Saeed had confirmed that his organisation Jammat-ud-Dawah (JuD) would contest the 2018 general elections under the banner of the MML. The Election Commission of Pakistan has asked the MML to produce a clearance certificate by the interior ministry for its registration as a political party. The interior ministry has not issued a clearance certificate to the MML, citing its ties to banned militant outfits.

The LeT was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group on December 26, 2001. Its leader Saeed is also designated as an SDGT. To avoid sanctions, LeT has repeatedly changed its name over the years, the State Department alleged.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, including six Americans.