Rahul calls PM Modi’s ‘hugplomacy’ a failure after Pakistan frees Hafiz Saeed

Lashkar-e-Taiba founder and 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed was released from house arrest; US Congress also passed a bill this month that dropped action against the LeT.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and termed the latter’s relationship with US President Donald Trump as failed “hugplomacy”.

Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed meets supporters at Jamia al Qadsia Masjid following his release in Lahore on Friday. (AFP Photo)

“Narendrabhai, baat nahi bani (It did not work). Terror mastermind is free. President Trump just delinked Pak military funding from LeT. Hugplomacy fail. More hugs urgently needed,” Gandhi tweeted on Saturday morning.

On Friday, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed, accused of masterminding the 26/11 Mumbai massacre in 2008, was freed after 10 months of house-arrest in Pakistan.

The US asked the Pakistan government on Friday to make sure that Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed is arrested and charged for his crimes.