Hafiz Saeed’s release disappointing: Krishna

BANGALORE - External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Friday expressed disappointment over the Pakistan Supreme Court releasing from house arrest Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed, who India says masterminded the 26/11 Mumbai carnage, even as he hoped Islamabad will stand by its promise not to allow anti-India activities from its soil.

“Naturally we are disappointed with the Pakistan Supreme Court dismissing the appeal of the government of Punjab (against Saeed’s release). We still regard Hafiz Saeed as one of the masterminds of the Mumbai terror attack,” he told reporters here.

He said that enough evidence has been given by India on Saeed’s role in the Nov 26-29, 2008 Mumbai carnage that killed 166 people, including 26 foreigners.

“I do not know what was the kind of evidence was given before the Pakistan Supreme Court. Based on our dossiers, our law experts feel that these have enough evidence to launch prosecution against Hafiz Saeed,” Krishna maintained.

At the same time, Krishna who is scheduled to go for talks to Islamabad in July, said that Indian government “will proceed on assurances given by Pakistan that no hostile activity will take place from its soil targeting India”.

Saying that evidence against him was insufficient, Pakistan’s Supreme Court Tuesday dismissed two appeals challenging the June 2009 order of the Lahore High releasing Saeed from house arrest.

Saeed, who had declared a jehad against India in February, had been placed under house arrest in December 2008 after the UN, acting under US and Indian pressure in the wake of the Mumbai carnage, proscribed the Jamaat-ud Dawa (JD) charity that the LeT had morphed into.