The Islamabad High Court on Thursday suspended the Election Commission’s resolution to refuse the registration of Milli Muslim League (MML), political wing of the banned Jamaat -ud-Dawa (JuD), and directed the poll body to review its decision.
The MML had moved the High Court, claiming that they were denied political space due to pressure from the United States and India.
In October last, the Commission rejected the application of the MML, which was formed to mainstream Hafiz Saeed's-banned JuD in political mainstream.
Saeed a wanted terrorist
Saeed is a wanted terrorist by the US and India. The US has put a $10 million bounty on his arrest
The government had also opposed the registration of the MML and recommended to the Commission that it will not give security clearance to the party..
In a letter to the Commission on September 26 last, the Interior Ministry said the JuD and its charity wing, Falah-i-Insaaniyat, were under sanctions within the country and internationally as well.
MML's debut
The MML was launched in August last and it even fielded a candidate in an independent capacity in a by-election on a seat that fell vacant due to the disqualification of the former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. It campaigned for the candidate in NA-120 Lahore, and used photographs and banners featuring Saeed. The MML’s campaign was anti-India and it accused the ruling PML(N) and Mr. Sharif of being pro-India. Although he was defeated, the candidate got more votes than mainstream Pakistan People's Party and the Jamaat-i-Islami.
Sources told The Hindu that the U.S. had sent a written protest note over the MML and its political role and several other countries have expressed their concern.
Shoaib Amjad, a former General, told the media last year that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had recommended to the government to mainstream the JuD. But the government rejected the proposal.
On Wednesday, the High Court in Lahore prevented the authorities from arresting Saeed.
The federal government in January and February put the JuD and Falah-i-Insaaniyat under sanctions and took over their assets.
