–Interior Ministry says action taken in compliance with NAP
ISLAMABAD: As the crackdown against proscribed outfits continues across the country, Pakistan has added 10 more organisations to the list of banned outfits for their alleged affiliation with banned Jamaatud Dawa (JuD), Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FiF) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
The action was taken in pursuance of the National Action Plan (NAP), said a statement issued by the Interior Ministry on Saturday.
The entrants to the list of proscribed outfits include: Al Anfal Trust, Lahore; Idara-i-Khidmat Khalaq, Lahore; Al Dawatul Irshad, Lahore; Al Hamd Trust, Lahore and Faisalabad; Mosque and Welfare Trust, Lahore; Al Madinah Foundation, Lahore; Muaz bin Jabal Education Trust, Lahore; Al Eesar Foundation, Lahore; Al Rehmat Trust Organisation, Bahawalpur; and Al Furqan Trust, Karachi.
On March 7, the federal government decided to place eight banned outfits from medium risk to high-risk category during an official meeting regarding implementation on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations on anti-money laundering and counter terror financing for Pakistan.
According to details, these organisations include Daesh (Islamic State), Al Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan, Haqqani Network, Jamaatud Dawa, Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
JeM chief Masood Azhar’s son and brother have also been taken into custody.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led federal government had initiated a crackdown against banned outfits in line with the decisions made during a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) in January this year.
“Interior Ministry is working closely with the provinces in a crackdown against the banned outfits,” the ministry’s spokesperson said.
The spokesman further added that the provincial government has taken control of 182 madrassas, 34 schools, five colleges, 184 ambulances, and eight offices, which were being operated by the proscribed organisations.
Most of the facilities were later handed over to the Auqaf department, health and education authorities. At many mosques, prayer leaders were replaced.
The ongoing operation against the proscribed organisations would continue till “achievement of objectives” under the National Action Plan (NAP) of 2014, Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi had declared in a tweet, adding that efforts were being made to accelerate progress on NAP.
The United States (US), Britain and France — three permanent members of the UNSC with veto power — have again moved the Security Council for designation of Azhar as a global terrorist after Pulwama attack.
Pakistan, despite making significant progress on the initial concerns of FATF, came under renewed pressure at the Paris plenary. Islamabad was urged to quickly meet the deadline of May 2019, if it wishes to be de-listed from the grey list.