Terror games

Terror games

Context

Hafiz Saeed walks free again, posing another question mark on Pakistan’s commitment to tackle extremism

Backdrop

• This was the seventh time that Saeed, head of the terrorist Jamaat-ud-Dawa/Lashkar-e-Toiba, was arrested, and the sixth time he was released by the Lahore High Court
• Saeed, who was designated under the UN Security Council’s 1267 resolution, and further, carries a $10 million US bounty, was placed under house arrest at the end of January 2017

Reactions within Pakistan

• Then minister of defence of Pakistan, said he could “pose a serious threat to society”
• The Pakistan Army said Saeed was detained in “national interest”
• The house arrest came days after US President’s inauguration.
• As US President’s rhetoric against Pakistan grew shriller over the months, Saeed’s detention kept getting extended.

US Connection

• Notably, the court’s order for his release came a few days after the US Congress dropped the LeT from a provision in a bill linking financial aid to Pakistan with action by Islamabad against terrorist groups
• The provision now mentions only the Haqqani Network by name

Non-serious Pakistan

• The timing of this is especially telling — India marks the ninth anniversary of the Mumbai attacks on Sunday
• The trial of those arrested by Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency, all members of LeT, remains pending
• If Pakistan could fast track this case even now, something could be salvaged in relations between the two countries

Conclusion

Pakistan says it is the worst victim of terrorism It only underlines that there is nothing to be gained by differentiating between “good” and “bad” terrorists.