'Same drama has taken place 8 times since 2001': Centre on Hafiz Saeed's arrest

New Delhi, July 18: A day after Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed was arrested by Pakistan, India on Thursday said similar "drama" has taken place at least eight times since 2001, and the genuineness of the action will depend on whether he is tried for his terrorist activities.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India hoped that Saeed will genuinely be brought to justice this time.

"This is not the first time that Hafiz Saeed has been arrested or detained. This drama has taken place at least eight times since 2001. The question is whether this time it would be more than a cosmetic exercise and whether Saeed will be tried and sentenced for his terrorist activities," he said at a weekly media briefing. He said Saeed must be punished as he is a designated terrorist, and listed by the United Nations Sanctions Committee under the UN Security Council Resolution 1267.

"Effective action mandated internationally against Hafiz Saeed and his terrorist organisations is an obligation on part of all UN member states, including Pakistan," said Kumar.

Saeed also carries a reward of $10 million under US law.

"Pakistan's sincerity to take action against terrorist and terror groups will be judged on the basis of their ability to demonstrate verifiable, credible and irreversible actions against terrorists and to disrupt and dismantle terror groups operating from their soil," the MEA spokesperson said.

He said India has long been maintaining that the UN Security Council provisions pertaining to listing and proscription of known terrorist entities and individuals must be effectively and sincerely enforced by all member states.

"Hafiz Saeed and his front organisations LeT and JuD recruit and train hundreds and thousands of persons and motivate and indoctrinate them on a violent agenda against India," he said.

Kumar said the anti-terror watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has drawn attention to the clear evidence that organisations supported by Saeed continue to be involved in supporting and financing terrorist activities.

Saeed was arrested on Wednesday on terror financing charges by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab Province. He was travelling to Gujranwala from Lahore to get pre-arrest bail in terror financing cases registered against him there when he was arrested, a CTD official said.

The CTD on July 3 had registered 23 FIRs against 13 top leaders of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) including Saeed on the charges of "terror financing" in different cities of Punjab province.