Hafiz Saeed gives Friday sermon after release, US calls for his arrest again

 Hours after his release from house arrest, Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed gave an hour-long Friday sermon at the JuD headquarters here, accusing the Pakistan government of taking "dictation from foreign masters" to appease India.

A large number of JuD activists had gathered at the Jamia Masjid Al-Qadsia at Chauburji here. After Friday prayers, the charged workers greeted Saeed on his release and renewed their pledge for "Kashmir Jihad".
Saeed in his speech also targeted the Pakistani government for "taking dictation from foreign masters" and spoke of "Indian atrocities" in Kashmir. He told his supporters the "reasons" behind his 10-month detention, and also as to why Nawaz Sharif was ousted as prime minister.

"Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been punished for forsaking Kashmiris. Sharif is ousted from the prime minister house because he committed treason with Kashmiris. He wanted friendship with India and completely ignored the Kashmir cause," he said and warned the PML-N government not to bow before the international community for loans. "The rulers must not take dictation from the US and other countries and take its own decisions," he said.

Saeed walked from house arrest as a free man in the early hours of today after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any case. He had been under detention since January this year. The JuD head, who carries a bounty of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities, reiterated that he was detained for raising his voice for the Kashmiri people. He said Pakistan should not hold peace dialogue with India till it withdraws its army from Kashmir.

He said he would continue fighting for Kashmiris till they get freedom. Saeed reiterated that the US, on India's request, pressured Pakistan to detain him. 

US demands Saeed's arrest: 

 The US today asked the Pakistan government to make sure that Hafiz Saeed is arrested and charged for his crimes, following the release of the 26/11 mastermind and JuD chief from house arrest. Pakistan today freed Saeed, the LeT founder, who immediately launched his anti-India rhetoric and vowed to mobilise people for the "cause of Kashmir". "The United States is deeply concerned that Lashkar-e- Taiba (LeT) leader Hafiz Saeed has been released from house arrest in Pakistan. LeT is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent civilians in terrorist attacks, including a number of American citizens," state department spokesperson Heather Nauert said.

"The Pakistani government should make sure that he is arrested and charged for his crimes," Nauert said in a statement after the release of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief.