Pak to freeze assets of terror suspects but not JuD leaders

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s central bank has directed all banks to freeze accounts with millions of rupees linked to 2,021 individuals under an anti-terror law though the move will not affect anti-India groups such as the Jamaat-udDawah (JuD).

The action was taken against individuals listed in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act, which permits the seizure or freezing of funds and assets of a proscribed person.

Some prominent names on the list are Maulvi Abdul Aziz (Lal Masjid), Mohsin Najfi (Shia leader), Maulvi Ahmed Ludhianvi, Pariyal Shah, Maulvi Kabir, Aurangzeb Farooqi (all Ahl-eSunnat Wal Jamaat), Allama Maqsood Domki (Majlis Wahdati-Muslimeen), Sibtain Shirazi, Mirza Ali, Sheikh Nayyar (all Tehreek-i-Jafria Pakistan), Ramzan Mengal (Lashkar-e-Jhangvi), and Shahid Bikik (Lyari Aman Committee). This list, however, does not include Kashmir-centric groups such as the JuD, Lashkare-Taiba and similar entities.

The list of 2,021 individuals — mostly leaders and office-bearers of sectarian groups — was sent to all banks by the State Bank of Pakistan. Surprisingly, the list includes some people who have died.

“It is sad the government has used different criteria to segregate terror groups,” said social activist Jibran Nasir, adding that the government is focusing on sectarian organisations at home and leaving aside those that export terror.

The government can list an individual as a proscribed person in the Fourth Schedule of the antiterror law if he is suspected of involvement in terrorism or is an activist of an organisation kept under observation.

The list sent to the banks does not include the names of all individuals listed in the Fourth Schedule. Senior counter-terror officials said the complete list may have between 6,500 and 8,000 names.

THE LIST, HOWEVER, DOES NOT INCLUDE NAMES OF PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH KASHMIRCENTRIC GROUPS SUCH AS THE JAMAATUDDAWAH AND LASHKARETAIBA