ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Twitter users have slammed US President Donald Trump for saying Pakistan’s arrest this week of the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks had come after a 10-year search, as the suspected militant leader has been in and out of Pakistan prisons for the last decade and even addressed public rallies.
Pakistani authorities arrested Hafiz Saeed on terrorism funding charges on Wednesday. Saeed, who founded the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, is accused by India and the United States of carrying out the Mumbai attacks which killed more than 160 people. Saeed has denied any involvement and Pakistani authorities say they have not found any evidence against him either.
“After a ten year search, the so-called “mastermind” of the Mumbai Terror attacks has been arrested in Pakistan. Great pressure has been exerted over the last two years to find him!” Trump tweeted.
Notable Pakistanis took to Twitter to set the record straight about Saeed who would often address public rallies and regularly give sermons at Pakistani mosques. He also leads a political party, which took part in the 2008 general elections.
“Finding him [Saeed] was never an issue,” former Pakistani envoy to the United States, Husain Haqqani, said. “He operated freely and was highly visible. He has been arrested and released many times over. @POTUS shd immediately fire whoever gave him the wrong information,” he added, referring to the US president.
In 2017, Saeed was put under house arrest by Pakistani authorities and subsequently released after being cleared of charges against him, drawing strong criticism from Washington and New Delhi.
In February this year, Pakistan banned two charities linked to Saeed, just days before a global watchdog was due to vote on a US-backed motion to put Islamabad on a watchlist for failing to curb terrorist financing. Saeed is also designated a terrorist by the United States and the United Nations.
Farhatullah Babar, a senior leader of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party, said Saeed “has always been around, not ‘found’ now.”
“‘Arrested’ many times in past also in face of pressure and released when int’l pressure relented,” Babar said. “Again ‘arrested’ on eve of Imran visit to US, will be free soon for sure. So ill informed Pres of US. Unbelievable.”
Popular Pakistani TV anchor Hamid Mir wrote: “The tweet made by @realDonaldTrump about Hafiz Saeed is nothing but foolishness.”
Wednesday’s arrest also comes days before a visit to Washington by Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has promised to crack down on militant groups operating in Pakistan.
“Trump will leave no opportunity to prove his ignorance time and again,” journalist Ansar Abbasi tweeted. “Yet thanks to him for telling us that Hafiz Saeed is arrested by IK [Imran Khan] govt following US pressure.”
Saeed has repeatedly denied his involvement in any terror activities and said his network, which includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services, has no ties to militant groups.
Pakistani Twitterati roast Trump for tweeting Hafiz Saeed arrested after “ten year search“
Pakistani Twitterati roast Trump for tweeting Hafiz Saeed arrested after “ten year search“
- Notable Pakistanis take to Twitter to set record straight about the alleged Mumbai attacks’ mastermind
- Saeed has been in and out of Pakistani prisons for years, addresses public rallies and heads a political party
Pakistan reviews austerity measures amid Middle East crisis, urges strict nationwide implementation
- Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chairs review meeting of austerity steps
- Officials briefed on salary cuts, school closures, four‑day week, petrol conservation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Wednesday assessed progress on a sweeping set of austerity measures introduced to mitigate the country’s economic strain from sharply rising global oil prices and supply disruptions linked to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week announced a series of austerity steps, including a four‑day work week for government offices, requiring 50 percent of staff to work from home, cutting fuel allowances for official vehicles by half, grounding up to 60 percent of the government fleet and closing all schools for two weeks to conserve fuel amid the global oil crisis.
The measures were unveiled in response to global oil market volatility triggered by the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has disrupted supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and pushed crude prices sharply higher, straining Pakistan’s heavily import‑dependent energy sector.
“The meeting stressed the importance of strict and transparent adherence to the austerity measures, promoting fiscal responsibility and prudent use of public resources,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said in a statement.
He was chairing a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures, constituted under the directions of the PM, bringing together federal and provincial officials to review execution of the broad cost‑cutting plan.
Dar emphasized the government’s commitment to enforcing the PM’s austerity steps nationwide. The committee’s review also covered reductions in departmental expenditure, deductions from salaries of senior officials earning over Rs. 300,000 ($1,120), and coordination with provincial administrations to ensure uniform implementation of the plan.
Participants at the meeting reiterated that all ministries and divisions must continue strict monitoring and reporting, with transparent oversight mechanisms, as Pakistan navigates the economic pressures from the prolonged Middle East crisis and its fallout on global energy and trade markets.
