Pakistan court defers verdict on Hafiz Saeed

An Anti-Terrorism court in Pakistan on Saturday deferred its verdict against JuD leader Hafiz Saeed in two terror financing cases, adjouring the hearing till Tuesday. Earlier, the deputy prosecutor had opposed to Saeed’s plea and argued in court that the trial in the two cases against Saeed had already been completed and the court should announce the verdict under the law.

An Anti-Terrorism court in Pakistan on Saturday deferred its verdict against JuD leader Hafiz Saeed in two terror financing cases, adjouring the hearing till Tuesday. Earlier, the deputy prosecutor had opposed to Saeed’s plea and argued in court that the trial in the two cases against Saeed had already been completed and the court should announce the verdict under the law. Instead, Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Lahore judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta last week reserved the verdict against the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief .

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The court had earlier indicted Saeed and others on December 11 in terror financing cases.

He had already recorded his statement before the court in the two terror financing cases against him in which he pleaded “not guilty”.The cases of terror financing have been registered against him in Lahore and Gujranwala cities on the application of Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab police.

The ATC has adjourned the hearing till February 11. The prosecution had produced some 20 witnesses in the ATC to testify against Saeed and his close aides for their alleged involvement in terror financing. Cross examination of prosecution witnesses against Saeed and his three close aides by the defence counsel has concluded. The CTD had registered 23 FIRs against Saeed and his accomplices on the charges of terror financing in different cities of Punjab province and arrested him on July 17.