PAK FREEZES BANK ACCOUNTS OF 5,000 TERROR SUSPECTS

Pakistan has frozen the accounts of 5,000 suspected terrorists, taking about $3 million out of their pockets, but Islamabad could still come under scrutiny at a crucial June meeting of an international watchdog that tracks terror financing.

Analysts and government officials say political foot-dragging and sympathetic supporters throughout Pakistan makes it difficult to cut off the money supply to banned terrorist groups.

Next month in Spain, the Financial Action Task Force will update its assessment of “highrisk and non-cooperative jurisdictions,” Alexandra WijmengaDaniel of the task force’s communications department said.

The 35-nation intergovernmental organisation was formed in 1989 to combat money laundering. After 9/11, it also took on the role of fighting the financing of terrorism. Getting on the task force’s “black list” could hurt a country’s ability to borrow, if its banking system is considered a money laundering haven.

In 2015, Pakistan was exempted from its scrutiny after a similar session applauded the country’s progress in tackling both money laundering and terrorist financing.

However, concerns have been raised by the resurrection of banned groups such as Lashkare-Taiba under new names. Also worrying is the relative ease with which groups such as Jaish-eMohammed appear to operate, openly running Islamic seminaries and fundraising.