- And obstructing the moderates
In February 2012, Washington declared both Jamaatud Dawa (JuD), and Ahle-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat (ASWJ) as front organisations of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba and Sipah-e-Sahaba. A month after, the PPP government banned the ASWJ. It was noted that the outfit was suspected to have been involved in terrorism related activities of the defunct Sipah-e-Sahaba. The caretaker government has suddenly lifted the ban on ASWJ. The assets of its chief Ahmed Ludhianvi have been unfrozen allowing him to operate his bank accounts. His CNIC has been unblocked. Reportedly the NACTA has issued a notification in this regard on the recommendation of the Punjab Home Department.
Last year the MMA was stopped from taking part in bye-elections for being an extension of the banned JuD. This time the MMA decided to contest 80 NA and 185 provincial seats under the rubric of Allaho-Akbar Tehrik. Its candidates include a son and a son-in- law of JuD chief Hafiz Saeed. An election poster carrying the picture of Hafiz Saeed declares Hafiz Talha as an MML-backed, AAT nominated candidate. The ECP willingly accepted the nomination papers of these candidates.
The developments have taken place weeks before the elections at a time when all out attempts are being made to ensure the defeat of the PML-N. The ASWJ and MML are meant to wean away a section of the religious voters from the PML-N. Both networks reject democracy as a system devised by the Godless West which they want to replace with khilafat. Similarly they repudiate the current legal system and want instead to introduce the sharia laws. Both spread sectarian poison and condemn liberal values. They have been provided an opportunity to undermine democracy by using the right of free speech granted by the system they oppose.
The decision was made the same day Pakistan committed itself to an ambitious 26-point action plan spanning a period of 15 months to avoid being blacklisted by the FATF. The plan envisages choking the financing of terrorist groups like Da’ish, Haqqani Network, JuD and its affiliate and persons related to the Taliban. The freedom being provided to these networks could reduce Pakistan’s credibility among the internal community.
