The government has finally confirmed that it has frozen the bank accounts and other assets of the Jamaatud Dawa (JuD). STOCK IMAGE
However, even as the Foreign Office spokesperson was making the announcement, there was a sense that the government, in announcing the freeze, was doing so not so much of its own volition, but more to be in compliance with the requirements of the United Nations (UN). It thereby puts a convenient stretch of blue water between itself and those who support the JuD — and there are many of them. The JuD is a ‘listed’ organisation by the UN and as a member of the global body, Pakistan is obligated to proscribe the individuals and organisations so listed.
In addition to complying with UN requirements, it appears that the government has added some restrictions of its own and after a period of prevarication, the matter is finally in the open. Also in the open is the ban on the Haqqani network that has hitherto enjoyed unofficial and discreet patronage on the grounds that it might be utilised as a strategic asset. With this naming of names and drawing of lines, the government will be able to give a credible impression that it is serious in its desire to fully implement the National Action Plan, no matter how uncomfortable that may be. One only hopes that it continues along this path.
However, these are early days, and bans in the past have done little to limit the ability of organisations to rise again under different names, and as there is no public declaration of exactly what assets the JuD has in Pakistan, it is not possible to know precisely what has been put in the freezer. Whether this will allay the suspicions in the West that Pakistan is still playing both ends against the middle is also too early to say. However, for now, we will take the government at its word, and warmly welcome a move that might at last begin to turn a dreadful tide.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2015.
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Whether this will allay the suspicions in the West that Pakistan is still playing both ends against the middle is also too early to say. . I doubt that there is that much ambiguity in how the West views Pakistan. It has consistently said that it will judge Pakistan on what it does rather than what it says - and it's unlikely that USA will change its view so long as the founder and member of JuD are walking the streets of Pakistan. Banning an organization means nothing when you don't toss the members in jail.
Announcing a ban is a step to be appreciated, but it is meaningless unless the Government tells us what it entails. Does it mean that the proscribed entities are put out of business lock, stock and barrel, their funds frozen, their assets seized and brought under government control and their leaders arrested and charged. That these organizations divert funds from charitable purposes to indoctrinate and train vulnerable citizens for terror activities is without doubt, else they would not have found their names in the UN sanctioned lists. Why is the nation so scared of the extremists and the Government non transparent with its actions and disclosures ?
Drug smuggling generates unaccounted money overseas. Corruption by politicians generates unaccounted money within the country. Terrorists need money locally. Politicians need to take the unaccounted money earned locally to overseas destinations to invest in steel mills, sugar mills and buy properties in London. Hawala flourishes under these circumstances. Money exchange houses provide money overseas to the politicians who have unaccounted money locally. These politicians pay the terrorist groups operating locally as per instructions of the hawala operators. There are no records and no banks are involved. Now figure who is funding the terrorists.
Ikram Sehgal is a leading Pakistani defence analyst and security expert explained this in a recent TV talk show. He said that corruption, organized crime, drug trade and terrorism all are interlinked. Corruption generated unaccounted money locally, drug trade generates money overseas. Terrorists need funds locally and Hawala provides the route. You cannot stop terrorist funding alone, particularly in Pakistan where for many years PML-N government itself has been providing funds and that too from government budgets to JuD. Here are a few of such reports:
http://www.bbc.com/news/10334914
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-06-20/news/400937591jud-punjab-government-knowledge-park
https://moneyjihad.wordpress.com/tag/jamaat-ud-dawa/