LAHORE – An anti-terrorism court in Punjab has awarded 10-year imprisonment to Jamat-ud-Dawa amir Hafiz Saeed Ahmad in an illegal funding case.
The court also ordered the authorities concerned to confiscate property of Hafiz Saeed and imposed Rs1,10,000 as a fine on him. Abdul Rehman Makki — his close accomplice — was also awarded six-month jail for his role in the case.
Last week, three JuD leaders – Malik Zafar Iqbal and Yahya Mujahid – were awarded 16 years in jail while the court awarded one year imprisonment to Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki in the same case.
ATC-III Judge Ejaz Ahmad Buttar issued the verdict after allegations against suspects stood proved.
In 2019, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) had registered the cases against the convicts under section 11-N of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.
It surfaced during the investigation the suspects committed terrorism financing by managing assets of proscribed organization, and helped in raising funds.
Meanwhile, the court also indicted five leaders of Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) in six separate terror finance cases, besides adjourning further hearing till November 16.
Those indicted included Hafiz Abdul Salam, Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Yahya Mujahid and Luqman Shah. They were indicted in FIRs no 15, 21, 22, 27, 31 and 42 of 2019.
The CTD had registered 23 FIRs against the leaders of the JuD in different cities of Punjab.
However, the trial in several cases was transferred to Lahore following an order passed by the Lahore High Court on the petitions of the suspects.
