Washington: The US has welcomed the conviction of the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed and described it as an u2018 important step forwardu2019 for Pakistan in meeting its international commitments to combat terror financing and not to allow non- state actors to operate from its soil.

The statement of a top state department official came after Saeed was sentenced to 11 years in two terror financing cases, four days ahead of a crucial meeting of the Financial Action Task Force ( FATF) in Paris where Pakistan will present its case to escape from being blacklisted. Agencies US welcomes Saeedu2019s conviction Hafiz Saeed outside a court in Lahore on Wednesday. PIC/ PTI