Pakistan among countries providing ‘safe havens’ to terrorists: US

terrorists

The US has listed Pakistan among the countries which have been providing safe havens to terrorists, such as terror groups like LeT or JeM, helping them operate, train, organise and fundraise inside the country.

Their annual ‘Country Report on Terrorism’ said that the mastermind of the Mumbai attack, Hafiz Saeed was still addressing huge rallies, even though he had been prohibited from doing so under the Anti-Terrorist Act.

“Although LeT is banned in Pakistan, LeT’s wings Jamaat- ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FiF) were able to openly engage in fundraising, including in the capital,” it said.

“LeT’s chief Saeed continued to address large rallies, although in February 2017, Pakistan proscribed him under relevant provisions of Schedule Four of the Anti-Terrorism Act, thus severely restricting his freedom of movement,” it noted.

It said Pakistan did not take substantial action against the Afghan Taliban or Haqqani, or substantially limit their ability to threaten US interests in Afghanistan, although Pakistan supported efforts to bring both groups into an Afghan-led peace process.

The Haqqani network has been carrying out a number of kidnappings against the US in Afghanistan.

Other areas mentioned in the report as safe havens are Afghanistan, Somalia, the Trans-Sahara, Sulu/Sulawesi Seas Littoral, Southern Philippines, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Yemen, Columbia and Venezuela. –News Source