Ahsan Iqbal says Pakistan will follow UN resolution, ban JuD

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday said that Pakistan will follow the United Nation’s resolutions and ban the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF).

He expressed these views while addressing the fourth International Conference on the Use of Space Technology for Water Management.

During the address, he spoke on topics ranging from the prevalence of terrorism to improving Pakistan’s water system.

“Terrorism is a fatal poison for Pakistan,” Iqbal stated. “The National Action Plan is a programme of the Pakistani nation and is being fully implemented. Our measures are not directed to please any country,” he said.

The minister said that the efforts to implement the ban on JuD and FIF were already underway with provinces following directives from the federal government.

On February 14, the federal government issued a notification directing the authorities concerned to freeze the assets of JuD and FIF under the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018.

Earlier, President Mamnoon Hussain promulgated the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 that enables the government to impose a ban on the entities banned by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

He promulgated the ordinance in the exercise of the powers conferred by the clause (1) of the Article 89 of the Constitution in a further amendment of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Following an amendment in Section 11-B and 11-EE of the ATA, the organisations and personnel banned through the UNSC’s resolution will stand banned in Pakistan too.

Talking about the issue of water shortage, the minister emphasised the need for formulation of a multidimensional strategy to address the issue.

The minister said that the countries situated along the coastal belt need to collaborate to speed up research as to how the sea water could be used for agriculture and other purposes.

Ahsan Iqbal said that “space technology today is guiding us in every aspect of economic activity. He said the efficient use of water is possible through the use of satellite technology”.

The minister pointed out that Islamic countries are lagging behind in the space technology and it is need of the hour to invest in it to achieve the objective of sustainable development.