LAHORE: Pakistan has banned Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud Dawa and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation from collecting donations, on a day when President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but “lies and deceit” and providing “safe haven” to terrorists.
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) issued a notification prohibiting the collection of donations by the JuD, the front organization of banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, as well as several other such organizations named in a list of banned outfits by the UN Security Council.
“The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan hereby prohibits all companies from donating cash to the entities and individuals listed under the UNSC sanctions committee’s consolidated list,” according to the notification.
In addition to JuD, the list also includes LeT itself, the Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), the Paasban-i-Ahle- Hadith and Pasban-i-Kashmir, among others, the Dawn said.
The notification comes on a day when Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but “lies and deceit” in return for USD 33 billion aid and said Islamabad has provided “safe haven” to terrorists.
The SECP notification also warned that non-compliance with the said ruling could result in a hefty monetary fine.
“The Government of Pakistan has already prescribed a penalty of up to Rs 10 million for non-compliance on the sanctions regime being implemented,” it said.
In January 2017, the Pakistan government had launched a crackdown against JuD, placing Saeed under house arrest. However, Saeed was released in November after the Lahore High Court refused to extend the period of his confinement.
Responding to reports that the government is planning on seizing their assets, JuD and FIF said they will take the matter to the court.
“There are clear rulings of the Lahore High Court and Supreme Court that JuD is free to continue its welfare activities in Pakistan,” JuD spokesperson Yahya Mujahid said in a statement.
“The government still pulls such stunts for the appeasement of India,” he claimed.
The JuD is believed to be the front organization for the LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack. It was declared a foreign terrorist organization by the US in June 2014.-PTI
