Pakistan authorities on Wednesday booked Hafiz Saeed, chief of Jamaa-ud-Dawa and others in terror funding cases, amid growing international pressure to act against militant groups. Hafiz Saeed is a mastermind of deadly 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in 2008.
According to reports, Pakistan's counter-terrorism department had launched 23 cases against Saeed and 12 aides for using five trusts to collect funds and donations for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The cases were registered in Lahore, Gujranwala, and Multan for collection of funds for terrorism financing through assets made in names of Non-Profit Organisations, including Al-Anfaal Trust, Dawat ul Irshad Trust and others.
Two banned LeT-linked charities, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), were also targeted, the department said in a statement.
“All the assets of these organisations and individuals will be frozen and taken over by the state,” said a counter-terrorism senior official.
Pakistan's counter-terrorism department also said the action was in accordance with United Nation sanctions against the individuals and entities.
Notably, Pakistan has been facing international pressure as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which last year placed the country on its "grey list" with inadequate controls over money laundering and terrorism financing.
It gave Pakistan an October deadline last month to improve its efforts against terrorism financing. Hafiz Saeed is a designated a global terrorist by both the United Nations and the United States. He is one of the founders of LeT or the Army of the Pure.
The United States has offered a $10 million reward for evidence leading to his conviction and has pressured Pakistan to crack down on militant groups.
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