Pakistani government is all set to take over the infrastructure of Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) and its subsidiary Falah-i-Insaaniyat Foundation (FIF) following a Presidential decree on last Friday that eliminated a discrepancy to the list of UN declared terrorist organizations and those banned by authorities in the country, an Interior Ministry source confirmed on Tuesday.
Jamaatud Dawa and its charity wing FIF was banned by the United Nations but they got a reprieve from Lahore High Court. Hafiz Saeed was put behind bars for months before he was released late last year by the High Court after the government failed to file any charges. Hafiz Saeed and his organization was banned by the UN and the US following Mumbai attacks in India.
A government official told The Hindu that the ambulances, schools and health centers operated by JuD and FIF will be taken over by the government. Health facilities will now come under Red Crescent while schools will be taken over by the provincial government.
Spokesman of JuD and FIF Yahya Mujahid confirmed the development but denied any reaction. “We are still in negotiations as to how we react,” he said.
The Anti-terrorism (Amendment) ordinance 2018, a copy of which is available with The Hindu, extends its mandate to all organisations "listed under the United Nations (Security Council) Act", not just those banned by the Pakistani government.
But government officials said that the move to take over JuD and FIF assets had been taken by the government after taking JuD and FIF leaders into confidence.
The move came days before a critical meeting in Paris of Financial Action Task Force that would take stock of the commitments by the member countries on restricting banned organizations to function.
In 2017, Hafiz Saeed was detained for nine months before the FATF meeting to show progress. This time too Pakistan government has taken action just days before the crucial meeting although no decision has been taken to detain Hafiz Saeed.
A senior Interior Ministry official said that the international community has been conveyed that Pakistan will honour its commitments but it needed time to resolve the issue of JuD leadership.
A move to mainstream JuD as a political party was scuttled by the government last year and Election Commission refused to register HuD’s political party Milli Muslim League which contested elections on the constituency of disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Although the Presidential Ordinance only lasts for 120 days or four months and then it is lapsed if the Parliament does not vote to make it an act or a law.
The Cabinet also approved on Tuesday the Anti-Terrorism (Freezing and Seizure) Rules 2018 under which the assets of JuD and FIF are being attached.
