Pakistan bans donations to Jamaat-ud-Dawa, organisations on UNSC sanctions list

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government has banned companies and individuals from making donations to Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), and other organisations on the UNSC sanctions list. 

According to a notification issued by Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), all companies have been prohibited from "donating cash to the entities and individuals listed under the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions committee’s consolidated list". 

The UNSC sanctions list includes the names of al-Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, JuD, FiF, Lashkar-e-Taiba and other organisations and individuals. A copy of the SECP notification, dated January 1, 2018 is available with Geo News.

The development follows reports of a government decision to take action against organisations and individuals linked to terrorism at a recent high-level meeting on national security.

Govt to seize control of JuD charities, assets

As per reports, in the first phase of the action against JuD and FIF, investigation will be launched into the source of funding for ambulance services of both the organisations. Following the investigation, the Punjab government will take over the control of all the projects of JuD.

Muridke Markaz is also going to be handed over to the Punjab government, sources stated further.

The Federal Board of Revenue and State Bank will scrutinise funding, assets of both organisations, sources informed.

The decision has been taken under Section 453 of the Companies Act, 2017, which talks about prevention of offences relating to fraud, money laundering and terrorist financing. 

After the ban was imposed, the spokesperson of JuD has announced to take to the court against the decision. 

Reuters adds: Pakistan’s government detailed its plans in a secret order to various provincial and federal government departments on December 19, three officials who attended one of several high-level meeting discussing the crackdown told Reuters.

Marked “secret”, a December 19 document from the finance ministry directed law enforcement and all the provinces to submit an action plan by Dec 28 for a “takeover” of JuD and FIF.

Washington and India blame JuD for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people. Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the Mumbai attacks.

The December 19 document, which refers to “Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issues”, names only Saeed’s two charities and “actions to be taken” against them.

Asked about a crackdown on JuD and FIF, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who co-chaired one of the meetings on the plan, responded only generally, saying he has ordered authorities “to choke the fundraising of all proscribed outfits in Pakistan”.

In a written reply to Reuters, he also said Pakistan wasn’t taking action under US pressure. “We’re not pleasing anyone. We’re working as a responsible nation to fulfil our obligations to our people and the international community.”

Spokesmen for the JuD and FIF both said they could not comment until they receive official notifications of the government’s plans. “We don’t have any intimation about any crackdown so far,” FIF spokesperson Salman Shahid told Reuters. “No one has asked us about our work or assets.”

Saeed could not be reached for comment.

The December 19 document gave few details about how the state would take over Saeed’s charities, pending the plans submitted by the provincial governments. It did say it would involve government entities taking over ambulance services and accounting for other vehicles used by the charities.

It says law enforcement agencies will coordinate with Pakistan’s intelligence agencies to identify the assets of the two charities and examine how they raise money.

According to Reuters, JuD's network includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services. The JuD and FIF alone have about 50,000 volunteers and hundreds of other paid workers, according to two counter-terrorism officials.