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Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba which the United
Nations has listed as a terrorist organization, petitioned the
court to ban the Kabir Khan-directed feature film "Phantom" on
the basis that it maligns Pakistan and vilifies Saeed and his
current organization, Jamaat-ud-Dawa.
The Lahore High Court issued a ban on Thursday, Saeed's lawyer
said.
"The government has been told that the film should not be
presented for showing in Pakistan and to take necessary steps in
this regard," lawyer AK Dogar told Reuters.
In its reply to the petition in court, the Pakistani government
"vehemently denied" that there were ever any plans to screen the
Indian film.
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is banned in Pakistan but tolerated
unofficially. Saeed has long abandoned its leadership and is now
the head of its charity wing, Jamaat-ud-Dawa.
India says it has handed over evidence against him to Pakistan
which should have detained him. The issue has stood in the way
of rebuilding relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
The United States has also offered $10 million for information
leading to the arrest and conviction of Saeed, who denies any
involvement in the Mumbai attacks.
Saeed lives freely in the city of Lahore in a villa with police
stationed outside.
"Phantom" is described as a political thriller set in aftermath
of the Mumbai attacks and features Bollywood stars Saif Ali Khan
and Katrina Kaif opposing a villain named "Harif Saeed".
Yahya Mujahid, spokesperson for Hafiz Saeed and Jamaat-ud-Dawa,
applauded Thursday's court ruling.
"This film was calling for an attack on Hafiz Saeed, and this
was clearly terrorism on the part of India, to release such
propaganda. So we think the High Court has given a very good
decision on this."
(The story is refiled to fix spelling of 'Jamaat-ud-Dawa' in
11th paragraph)
(Writing by Asad Hashim and Kay Johnson; Editing by Ruth
Pitchford)
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