LAHORE: Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks, has been placed under house arrest in this eastern Pakistani city, according to media reports.
Police have imposed restrictions on the movement of banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed and barred him from leading Eid prayers at the Gaddafi Stadium.
"Police party has been deputed outside his residence restricting his movement," Geo News said.
A police contingent was deployed outside Saeed's home in Johar Town area of Lahore late last night to restrict his movements. However, it was not clear if he had been officially put under house arrest.
TV news channels reported that Saeed's movements had been restricted for reasons of security. There was no official word on the issue.
Saeed, also the founder of the Lashker-e-Taiba, was expected to lead the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at the Gaddafi Stadium here.
Reacting to reports of Saeed being put under house arrest, home minister P Chidambaram said," If this is face-saving action, I have no objection."
"Now, Pakistan should probe Saeed's role in Mumbai terror attacks," added the home minister.
"All the evidence needed to prosecute the JuD chief had already been given to Pakistan," Chidambaram said.
Bowing to the US pressure, Pakistan police on September 18 had said it will "definitely" arrest Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the mastermind of Mumbai terror attacks.
Pakistani police had on September 17 registered cases against him and one of his close aides Abu Jandal under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
On Sept 17, three First Information Reports - two against Saeed and one against Abu Jandal - were registered at police stations in Faisalabad, some 100 km from here, for allegedly inciting people to wage 'jehad' (holy war) against "infidels".
The cases were filed in connection with Saeed's visit to Faisalabad on August 27 and 28.
The officer, who did not wish to be identified, had said Saeed had attended iftar-dinners and held a meeting with activists of his banned organisation during which he asked the people to wage a jehad.
Saeed, also the founder of banned Lashker-e-Taiba, has been blamed by India for masterminding the Mumbai terror attacks. The police action against Saeed comes days ahead of a proposed meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
