Does Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayiba Chief Hafeez Mohammed Saeed need a lesson or two on the life history of his nation's founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah? It appears so as Saeed, who heads Jamaat-ul-Dawa, alleged by India as parent organisation of LeT, has mentioned that Jinnah was 'murdered' while the fact is that he died after prolonged illness.
In an interview to Outlook weekly Magazine, Saeed made this grave error while replying to a question seeking his reaction to India's demand for his extradition.
'It's actually a crude attempt to divert the attention of Indian people from their massive security and intelligence failure that led to the Mumbai attacks. Jamaat-ul-Dawa is all about relief. I have never been convicted either in India or Pakistan.
'On the other hand, a criminal case is still pending in Hyderabad (Pakistan), Sindh, against BJP leader L K Advani for masterminding the murder of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah, but Pakistan never demanded his extradition,' he said, blissfully unaware that Jinnah died of tuberculosis and lung cancer in 1948.
New Delhi has accused Saeed and Lashkar of being behind several terror strikes in India, including the recent one in Mumbai that left over 180 people dead.
He also attempted to distance Jamaat-ul-Dawa from any terrorist related activities and termed as 'very unfortunate' if India decided to carry out an air strike at its headquarters at Muridkee.
