Islamabad: Pakistan police prevented founder leader of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) Hafeez Muhammad Saeed, who figured in the terrorist list given by India after the attack on Indian Parliament, from addressing a public meeting at Multan in Pakistan's Punjab province.

Saeed, against whom New Delhi had long been urging action for his persistent anti-India speeches, was briefly taken into custody by police yesterday (Jan 13, 2004) and prevented from addressing the meeting at a religious seminary in Multan, 'Daily Times' reported today (Jan 14).

He had quit as chief of Lashkar ahead of 2002 ban on it and formed a new NGO 'Jamat ud Dawa', which was put on watch-list by the Pakistani Government when it banned several extremist outfits about two months ago.

Saeed was not allowed to address the gathering by the police on the ground that his outfit Jamat ud Dawa was also banned, the daily said.

The move to prevent Saeed from addressing the meeting followed Pakistan's recent assurance to India that it will not allow its territory to be used by terrorists against any country.

A spokesman for Jamat ud Dawa, Abul Hassan, condemned the incident and demanded action against the police officials.