The release of banned outfit Jamaat-Ud-Dawah Chief Hafiz Mohammed Saeed by a Lahore Court today may embolden the Lashker-e-Toiba cadres operating in India who may themselves plan a strike or do it on the orders of their master, security experts here feel.
Experts also feel that the release underlines that Pakistan government is not fully on the "same page" with India as far as dismantling terror infrastructure is concerned.
Former Director of Intelligence Bureau Arun Bhagat feels that the release of Saeed will embolden the cadres.
"After the release Saeed will continue with his agenda. As we all know the Jamaat-Ud-Dawah is the front face of Lashkar.His release will embolden the LeT cadres operating in India as well as Pakistan," Bhagat said.
Another security expert Bharat Karnad, who was also the member of first National Advisory Board of National Security Council, fears that some strikes might be orchestrated by Saeed to "make a mark" among his followers.
Ajay Sahni another expert on security matters, however, differs on any immediate terror threat emanating for India.
"Even when Saeed was in jail he was exercising his full control over JuD as well as LeT. So there will be no reduction of risk or augmentation of it. It will remain the same," Sahni said.
Jamaat-Ud-Dawah, which was banned by United Nation's Security Council in December last year, is considered to be the political face of LeT. Saeed who founded the LeT is also the JuD Chief.
He was detained last year in the wake of 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. Saeed has been released after the orders of a Lahore Court following the petition filed by his lawyer who challenged the detention.
These experts also feel that release of Saeed is an indication of reluctance with which Pakistan is pursuing the dismantling of terror infrastructure.
Karnad said any comment about the release was possible after going through court order but it looked that prosecution failed to connect the "connect" between JuD and Lashker.
The Pakistan Government can safely say court was free to make its observations despite their best efforts but it puts a question mark on its sincerity to dismantle the terror infrastructure when its Chief has been set free, he said.
Bhagat also expressed similar opinion saying that level of sincerity in tackling the terrorists is not forthcoming in Pakistan. Sahni said Saeed's release was much expected and Pakistan has done it in past also. He said it was unbelievable that government failed to make a case against Chief of JuD and LeT who as per Pakistan's own definition are terror organisations.
