'Pak PM didn't act on JuD fearing a crisis'

Islamabad: Possible reaction from the religious parties stopped Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi from strict action against Hafiz Mohammed Saeed-led Jamaatud Dawa (JuD), media reports said.

The News daily reported that PM Abbasi had decided to take strict action against JuD and its humanitarian arm Falahi Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) on January 1 but “he had to reverse his decision after his attention was drawn to another possible political crisis.”

The report said: “The Prime Minister said both the organisations should be banned but Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal was of the view that if these organisations were banned at this point, the government would be facing a similar crisis which it faced in November in the shape of Faizabad sit-in by Tehrik Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah led by Khadim Hussain Rizvi.”

The sit-in had paralysed the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

In the meeting, PM’s Adviser on Finance and Economic Affairs Miftah Ismail and foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua apprised the Prime Minister of the possible repercussions of the upcoming Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) meeting that could decide placing Pakistan on the watch list of countries that financially aid terrorism. After their input, the premier decided to constitute another committee to finalise the decision of taking a strict action against the JuD and FIF, the report said. This month, Punjab law minister Rana Sanullah said that two charities linked to Hafiz Mohammed Saeed had been officially banned.

The move came days before a key meeting by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global money laundering watchdog that is considering a US-sponsored motion to place Pakistan on a list of countries failing to prevent terrorism financing. The FAYF meeting started on February 18.

Punjab Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the Ministry of Interior had issued a notification against JuD and the FIF. “We have received the interior ministry directions, and according to that, Hafiz Saeed and his charities, like JuD and FIF, have been banned to operate in Pakistan,” Mr Sanaullah said.

Earlier, Pakistan endorsed the United Nations’ list of banned terrorist organisations.