LAHORE: Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed has declared Nawaz Sharif a traitor for having friendly relations with Pakistan arch rival India.

This was his first public appearance following months long house arrest as he addressed his supporters after Friday prayers at Jamia Qadsia, the JuD head quarters.

He said ousted prime minister deserved to be removed for developing personal ties with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, according to Hafiz Saeed, was worst enemy of Muslims.

“Nawaz asks why was he removed? I tell him he was thrown out for sidelining Kashmir issue and developing friendship with the killers of thousands of Muslims,” he said.

The JuD chief accused India of funding and fuelling extremism and terrorism inside Pakistan.

He said that a plethora of evidence clearly substantiate that India has been involved in series of terrorist and subversive activities in Pakistan.

“Peace is impossible to be restored and maintained unless notorious elements such as Kalbushan are present in the Pakistan. To get rid of all of such evils must be at the top of our priority list,” he asserted. He urged the government to re-evaluate its priorities and policies regarding India.

Hafiz Saeed was put under house arrest when PML-N president Nawaz Sharif was the prime minister of the country.

A large number of people offered Juma prayers led by him at Jamia Qadsia where he received a warm welcome on his arrival. His followers showered rose petals on him and chanted slogans in his favour.

Hafiz Saeed will address a press conference on Saturday to announce his future strategy “Restrictions, detentions and unwanted steps against Jamaat-ud-Dawa have been part of the government policies for quite a long time. But we will never be afraid of such kind of restrictions and will continue our support to the people of Kashmir. We have to work for Allah Almighty,” he said.

Terming Pakistan a gift of God, he said country was incomplete till the merger of Kashmir with it.

“Freedom of Pakistan is surety of Kashmir’s independence,” he declared. He called United States a usurper and oppressor. He said:“Pakistani foreign minister asked US that you have been defeated and because of that you are angry with us. When Pakistani PM will say that Afghanistan is a country of Muslims, Afghans issue would be solved that same day.”