LAHORE: An Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore on Wednesday sentenced Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed 11-year imprisonment in two terror-financing cases.

Hearing the court trial, ATC Judge Arshad Hussain Bhatta had reserved the verdict in the cases on Feb 6.

Counter-Terrorism Department of Lahore and Gujranwala had lodged the cases. Statements of at least 23 witnesses were recorded in the terror financing references.

Also Read: ATC reserves verdicts in two terror financing cases against Hafiz Saeed

The CTD had claimed that the JuD chief was financing terror activities through the funds collected by proscribed non-profit organisations.

The court trial was first held at Gujranwala ATC, then it was shifted into Lahore on the direction of the Lahore High Court.

On July 17, 2019, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Lahore had arrested Head of JuD Hafiz Muhammad Saeed during an operation. The JuD chief was alleged of supporting and funding freedom fighters in Kashmir.

He was intercepted and arrested while travelling from Lahore to Gujranwala along his aides to appear before the Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) in the cases pending against him. He had been sent to jail on judicial remand.

Saeed had earlier been placed under house arrest for different time intervals on pressure of international powers.

On July 15, an ATC had granted the chief of the banned outfit and three others pre-arrest bail until August 3 in a case regarding the organisation’s alleged misuse of a seminary land.