Jamaat-ud-Dawa leaders' could be released if there is no evidence, says top Pak cop

Lahore, Dec.14 (ANI): Jihadi leaders, including five belonging to the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa organization, who were placed under preventive detention, will be let off soon if there is no evidence of their involvement in the Mumbai terrorist attacks, the chief of police in Pakistan's Punjab Province, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Shaukat Javed has said.

Javed was quoted by The News as saying that "No activist or worker of the Jamaat-ud-Daawa has been detained because it is not required under the UN Security Council resolution."

He, however, confirmed that the Punjab government had been provided with the names of seven top Jamaat-ud-Dawa leaders to be put under preventive detention, and of them, five had been detained. Out of the remaining two, one had gone to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj, he said.

He also said that all schools and colleges run by the organization, would be allowed to function normally but, not under the control of the banned outfit.

As per the UNSC resolution, Javed said that the JuD stood proscribed and its activities had been put under surveillance.

A provincial official said the federal government would shortly decide either to frame formal charges or just keep under preventive detention scores of JuD leaders and activists held across Pakistan in the ongoing swoop.

A constitutional expert said those leaders who had been detained, have the right to go to he courts to challenge their detentions as per Article 10 of Pakistan's Constitution, which deals with preventive detention and provides for review boards at federal and provincial levels to look into such cases.

Under Clause 5 of the article, an authority issuing the order for preventive detention of a person shall within 15 days communicate to him the grounds on which the order has been issued, and shall afford him the earliest opportunity of making a representation against the order.

Clause 4 says that no law providing for preventive detention shall be made except to deal with persons acting in a manner prejudicial to the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan etc. (ANI)