A new political party called Pakistan Markazi Muslim League, believed to be associated with banned groups linked to the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Hafiz Saeed, is set to participate in the upcoming general elections on February 8. According to a BBC Urdu report, some candidates nominated by this party have familial ties to Hafiz Saeed or have been associated with banned groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, or Milli Muslim League in the past. Saeed, currently incarcerated in a Lahore jail, has been sentenced to a total of 31 years in multiple cases of financing terrorism.
The report alleges that Pakistan Markazi Muslim League is considered the new political face of Hafiz Saeed's Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD). While the party spokesperson denies any affiliation with Saeed's organizations, the report suggests that several candidates have connections to the banned groups. Hafiz Saeed's son, Hafiz Talha Saeed, is reportedly participating in the elections from the Markazi Muslim League, contesting from the same constituency as former federal minister Khawaja Saad Rafique.
The participation of individuals associated with JuD and similar groups in parliamentary politics raises concerns about the impact on national security and the potential influence of such elements in the political arena. The report also highlights the complex challenges posed by the intertwining of religious and political dynamics in Pakistan.
(With Agency Inputs)
Read also| Varun Ghosh, Indian-Origin Barrister, Appointed to Australian Senate
Read also| Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Goes Global with Launch at the Eiffel Tower in France
