Trump Hails Hafiz Saeed’s Arrest; India Happy, Pakistan Even Happier With US Statement – Why?

After the arrest of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, US President Donald Trump praised the move on Twitter, saying the “so-called mastermind” of the Mumbai attacks has been arrested.

Under FATF Pressure, Pakistan Arrests JuD Chief – Hafiz Saeed For Terror Charges

India considers Hafiz Saeed a dreaded terrorist and mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks which left 166 people dead.

Donald Trump Tweeted – “After a ten-year search he [Hafiz Saeed] has been arrested after great pressure has been exerted over the last two years to find him.”

The JuD chief, who has a $10 million US bounty on his head, was taken into custody by security forces on-way to Lahore. He was intercepted by Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD). The JuD chief was then presented in an anti-terrorism court in Gujranwala and sent on judicial remand.

Even though India hailed the tweet by US president and welcomed the statement, many netizens across the border in Pakistan could not hide their amusement. Donald Trump, in this tweet, mentioned Hafiz Saeed as the so-called terror mastermind which clearly reflected his uncertainty over the Indian accusations and claims.

Secondly, Trump mentioned that great pressure was exerted to find Hafiz Saeed. Donald Trump was probably not informed that unlike Osama Bin Landen (who was hiding after the US attached Afghanistan), Saeed was openly and freely roaming in Pakistan and giving speeches, collection funds for inciting rebellion in Kashmir under the protection of Pakistani Government.

One user wrote: Hafeez Saaed was always there in front in Pakistan, they were never searching for him. He even formed a political party & contested elections last years. He was organising rallies, roaming around freely. He even challenged the US to catch him in a mass rally after the US declared bounty. He was not “found” today. He is just shifting from his own home to a safe government guest house. Get better informed and don’t get fooled by Pak, AGAIN

Even though it is a welcome statement by the US government (for India), many netizens in Pakistan only ended by laughing at the immature tweet and quipped that Trump wanted to take credit for Saeed’s arrest too.