Holbrooke says US disturbed by Saeed's release, reverses later

Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, Jun 3 (PTI) US Special Envoy for Pakistan and
Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke today said the Obama
administration is "disturbed" by the release of JuD chief
Hafiz Mohammed Saeed but, in a reversal of that stand, later
commented that it was "Pakistan's internal issue."

Holbrooke, who arrived here Wednesday, expressed
reservations over the release of Saeed, who is allegedly
linked to the Mumbai terror attacks.

"His release has disturbed us all," he told Geo News
channel. Holbrooke said he would take up the matter of Saeed's
release with the Pakistan government.

But, the US envoy reversed his stand hours later at a
joint press conference with Pakistan President Asif Ali
Zardari and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, saying it
was Islamabad's "internal issue."

"I don't want to comment on the issue at this press
conference. It is Pakistan's internal issue. That's all I can
say," he said, when asked to comment on the Saeed's release.

The Lahore High Court Tuesday accepted Saeed's petition
challenging his detention in the wake of the Mumbai terror
attacks and ordered his immediate release. PTI RHL
JVN