Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed was not allowed by the Pakistan government on Wednesday to lead Id prayers at his favourite venue, the Qaddafi Stadium, in Lahore for the first time in years, an official said.

Instead, Saeed, whose JuD has been designated as a terrorist organisation by the United Nations, offered prayers at a local mosque adjacent to his Jauhar Town home in Lahore.

“JuD chief Saeed wanted to lead the Id prayers at the Qaddafi Stadium but he was told by an official of the Punjab government a day before (Tuesday) that he could not do so. In case he went ahead with his plan (to lead the Id prayers), the government might arrest him, he was told,” the official said.

He said Saeed was left with no other option but to “follow the government’s directive”.

Saeed had been leading the prayers on both Id-ul-Fitr and Id-ul-Azha at the Qaddafi Stadium for the past many years without any hindrance. Rather, the government used to provide him foolproof security. At the prayers, he also propagated his views, especially on Kashmir.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation of the Lashkar-e-Toiba.