'Withdrawal of terror charges against Hafeez Saeed by Pakistan must be condemned'

Withdrawal of terror charges against JuD chief and Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed reflects the lack of will on the part of Pakistan to fulfil its international obligation to take effective action against proscribed terrorists, government sources said here today.

"It is surprising that instead of prosecuting him for heading and directing a terrorist organisation, Pakistan is simply putting him in a house arrest for maintenance of public law and order...Such duplicitous actions need condemnation from all quarters," a source said.

Pakistani authorities on Sunday withdrew terrorism charges against Saeed and his group Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), paving way for the possible release of the UN, the US and India-designated terrorist for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The JuD has already been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States in June 2014. The JuD chief carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.