LAHORE: Having moved against the educational network of Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaatul Daawa, recently declared a terrorist organization by the United Nations Security Council for its involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks, the Pakistan government has assumed control of only 10 selected schools out of a total of over 600 schools and religious seminaries being run by the JuD across Pakistan.
The Punjab government has finally announced appointing administrators in 10 selected schools of the banned jehadi organisation following intense international pressure on Islamaba to proceed against the group which has already been proscribed by the Pakistan government as well. One of the ten schools taken over by the government is located inside the sprawling Muridke headquarters of the Jamaatul Daawa, about 30 kilometers from Lahore. However, there are many in Islamabad’s diplomatic circles who believe the government move was a mere eye wash to release mounting pressure from the international community for taking some concrete steps against JuD in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks. These circles point out the pertinent fact that the Saeed-led organization actually runs over 600 schools and madrassahs countrywide out of which administrators have been appointed at only 10 schools for strange reasons.
A Punjab government spokesman said the JuD is running over 200 schools in the province, of which 10 selected schools have been taken over by the government on experimental basis. The government sources revealed that following the ban imposed on the JuD, intelligence agencies had informed the government that ten of the JuD-run Daawa Model Schools operating in Punjab are still involved in objectionable activities and promoting extremism. The intelligence agencies had reported that lectures being delivered at these schools were aimed at promoting hatred against India and the West besides indoctrinating students to wage jehad against infidels. Almost same is the case with the JuD-run mosques, especially Jamia Qadissiya where the message seems unchanged even after the government ban. “Muslims under the leadership of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaatul Daawa will conquer all South Asia. Nobody can stop us fighting India. The forces trying to suppress the Jamaatul Daawa and the Lashkar-e-Taiba themselves will be crushed”, said Maulana Saifullah Khalid, a JuD leader during his Friday sermon at the Jamia last week.
In a press statement, the spokesman for the JuD ameer Hafiz Saeed, Abdullah Muntazir alias Abdullah Ghaznavi, condemned the Punjab government decision to appoint administrators at 10 of the the JuD-run schools, saying the Saeed-led organisation had always worked within the framework of law and if any of the its schools has been found involved in promoting extremism among students, it should be the act of an individual. He said the JuD-run schools were not only registered with the Punjab government but they were following the government approved syllabus.
amir.mir1969@gmail.com