Isn’t Jamaat-ud-Dawa banned in Pakistan?

Pakistan banned the Lashkar-e-Taiba in January 2002, and its successor front group Jamaat-ud-Dawa in December 2008 after the November 2008 suicide terror assault on Mumbai, India . So what is Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, the leader of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-ud-Dawa, doing sitting in front of a Jamaat-ud-Dawa banner during the recent interview with Al Jazeera [above]? And will the Pakistani government move against Saeed for promoting Jamaat-ud-Dawa in such a manner? [The second question is rhetorical, as Pakistan watchers know the answer is no.]

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

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7 Comments

  • Indian says:

    Why is AlJazeera interviewing and publicizing murderers and killers on their channel? This man is the propaganda head for the lashkar e toiba and recruits suicide bombers for the Al Qaeda. He has support from the Pakistani security and military establishment, which has always used these killers as part of its state policy to “bleed India by a thousand cuts”.

  • T Ruth says:

    This dyed-red-haired bear sickens me.
    He represents all that is blithely evil and deeply conflicted about Pakistan.
    Can’t last forever….

  • Jai says:

    JuD is not banned in Pakistan!!!!!! Remember the argument used by Saeed’s lawyer to have him released when he was booked in two cases under the Anti-Terror Act??!!

  • Jimmy says:

    “And will the Pakistani government move against Saeed for promoting Jamaat-ud-Dawa in such a manner? [The second question is rhetorical, as Pakistan watchers know the answer is no.]”
    Bang on, Bill! Its only when the king is threatened that the pawn is sacrificed. Time to hold Pakistan Army, ISI by the scruff and only then will these cockroaches be punished…just the way Pakistan is co-operating now in capturing Taliban leaders in its own backyard. I guess the US has seriously taken Pakistan Army, ISI to task (in secret threats, maybe)?

  • ali shah says:

    Instead of pushing him back to his shell the world should welcome his positive views regarding dialogue. A court in Pakistan clearly ruled that Jamat-ud-Dawah is not a banned organization as per the Pakistani law is concerned so there is no point to raise this question that whether or not Jamat is banned in Pakistan.
    we should be positive to deal with hardliners. If we will welcome his soft views he will be encouraged otherwise he may feel that the world dont want to listen to the message of peace from him so the violence is the only way to get your message through.

  • Varun says:

    Banned? What a joke.

  • Danny says:

    You are confusing the meaning of “Banned”.
    It works differently in US and Pakistan.
    Very recently he was the chief dinner guest at Pak Army function …

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