ISI Moves Hafiz Saeed Amid Fears of Indian Strike, Tightens Security Around Lashkar Chief

Islamabad: Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI and army have increased the security of Hafiz Saeed, the chief of terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-ud-Dawa. After the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, Saeed's security has been tightened a lot. Pakistan's intelligence agencies fear that India may target Saeed in a secret operation. TRF, a group associated with Lashkar, had taken responsibility for the Pahalgam attack, although it later withdrew its statement. India is also looking for Hafiz Saeed in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. In such a situation, Pakistan is afraid of an attack on Hafiz.

According to a Firstpost report, Hafiz Saeed has been kept in a small house in a densely populated area of Lahore. Former SSG commandos have been deployed for his security. He is said to be in a safe hideout surrounded by Pakistani security forces. Hafiz Saeed has not been kept at his house in Mohalla Jauhar, Lahore. Despite this, a large number of security personnel are deployed at his house.

Saeed is most wanted in India

Hafiz Saeed has been declared wanted by both the US and India for the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Hafiz Saeed is officially in jail but he is seen in public. His house has been declared a sub-jail. A control room has been set up here. The area within a radius of one kilometer from the control room is monitored with CCTV cameras. These cameras have gesture detection technology. This helps in identifying suspicious activities.

Hafiz Saeed has been convicted by a Pakistani court in terror financing cases, for which he has been sentenced to 46 years. In April 2022, he was sentenced to 31 years in two similar cases. Earlier in 2020, he was sentenced to 15 years in a similar case. However, the court has said that all the sentences should be run simultaneously.

Hafiz Saeed has been shown arrested by Pakistani agencies since 2019, but Saeed has appeared in public more than two dozen times in the last three years. He moves around with heavy security. He has often been seen in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. There have also been reports of him visiting camps in Bahawalpur and Rawalkot in recent days.