Pakistan asks UNSC to allow Hafiz Saeed to withdraw money for basic needs
The UN committee has allowed 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed to use his bank account for 'basic expenses' to help his family. The move comes after Pakistan approached the United Nations Security Council, asking the committee to allow UN-designated global terrorist Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed use his bank account for personal expenses, to help his family. Hafiz Saeed has been declared Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US Department of Treasury, which has even offered a $10 million reward for information to bring Hafiz Saeed to justice.
With no objections being raised to Pakistan's request for Hafiz Saeed's basic expenses, the Chair has approved the appeal, the UN Committee said in its letter.
The Pakistani government had sealed the bank accounts of Hafiz Saeed, in compliance with the UNSC resolution.
Hafiz Saeed's bank accounts were frozen by the Pakistani government complying with the UNSC resolution. Pakistan had requested the UN to let Hafiz Saeed withdraw PKR 1,50,000 (approximately $1,000) to cover necessary basic living expenses for him and his family.
In its appeal to the UNSC, Pakistan government has said that they have received a request from Hafiz Saeed, who has "worked as assistant professor in University of Engineering and Technology Lahore for the period 1974 to 1999, he had completed a pensionable service of 25 years and drawing a pension of 45700 through his bank account...".
The plea also says that Hafiz Saeed's bank accounts were frozen by the Pakistan government and now he needs Pak Rupees 1,50,000 to cover the basic expenses of his family and himself.
The appeal further states that Hafiz Saeed has a family of four members to support and needs to provide food, drink and clothing expenses for the family.
This comes even after Pakistan repeatedly claiming that it is taking stringent action against terrorists. In May, Pakistan's Counter-Terrorism Department had booked Hafiz Saeed and top leaders of Jamaat-ud-Dawa under charges of terror financing. The authorities had also arrested Saeed.
Earlier on August 15, the UNSC committee in a notification had said, "The Chair has the honor to refer to his draft letter to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan communicating the Committee's decision with respect to the intention of the Pakistani authorities to authorize certain expenditures to the benefit of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed (ODi.263), Haji Muhammad Ashraf (ODi.265) and Zafar Iqbal (ODi.308) to cover basic expenses, as specified in the note verbale of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan pursuant to paragraph 81 (a) of resolution 2368 (2017)."
Hafiz Saeed was arrested on July 17 in a terror financing case. He is lodged at the Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail in high security.
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Pakistan approaches UNSC to allow release of monthly expenses for terrorist Hafiz Saeed
