Punjab police tells Senate panel seminaries are receiving foreign funding, but have little proof

Provincial police advises intelligence agencies not to blame any country without concrete evidence


Zahid Gishkori February 10, 2015
Police official says most of the foreign funding flows through Hawal or Hundi or through personal collection visits. PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab police on Tuesday formally conceded before a Senate panel that seminaries were receiving foreign funding, as it sought help of the country’s top investigation agency—Federal Investigation Agency—to obtain actionable data for kicking off crackdown against the beneficiaries.

A senior Punjab police officer, representing the Punjab Inspector General, said that “mostly foreign funding received by seminaries and madrassahs in Punjab is through private channels i.e. Hundi or Hawala or through personal collection visits.”

Interestingly, the provincial police advised the intelligence agencies not to blame any brotherly country without any concrete evidence which “can create unnecessary diplomatic embarrassment for the government of Pakistan.”

The Saudi Embassy had on Monday stated in an official statement that they, after getting due clearance from Pakistan’s foreign office, were providing funds to some welfare services, seminaries, mosques and charity organisations.

The Senate Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges had in turn summoned Inspector General Police Mushtaq Sukhera and directed him to furnish a detailed report on foreign funding to seminaries in Punjab. The committee found that IGP Punjab had breached the privilege of the Senate after he had told them in a previous meeting that not a single seminary was taking foreign assistance in the province.

“Substantive evidence confirms foreign funded seminaries were involved in promoting militancy in Pakistan,” observed Senator Tahir Mashhadi, chairman of the committee. The committee had, on directions of Senate Chairman, summoned Punjab police chief on concealing information pertaining to foreign funding to madressahs.

“Foreign funding [after Punjab’s confession] is flowing to seminaries under noose of intelligence [agencies] as well as the government,” he observed.

“I’d love to brace diplomatic embarrassment rather than have foreign funded militants kill a single citizen in this country,” he responded over queries for avoiding a diplomatic row between Pakistan and brotherly countries. In response to Senator Afrasiab Khattak observed masterminds of all terror attacks are hiding in Punjab.

On this occasion, Senator Jaffar Iqbal of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz observed that Gulf States like Iran were also funding seminaries to promote their narrative in the country. In response to his observations, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Senator Haji Adeel informed the lawmakers that he has already taken up the issue of Iranian funding with Tehran’s top diplomat in Islamabad.

Rawalpindi’s top police official Khalid Lalika, who was representing IGP Punjab in the meeting, told lawmakers that efforts are afoot to procure concrete evidence and actionable intelligence. “It would be appropriate if State Bank of Pakistan and FIA are requested to put in efforts to provide evidence regarding transfer of funds to the madressahs.”

“Special branch has some reports from sources regarding financial and other assistance from foreign Islamic countries. However, it is hereby reiterated that there is no concrete or solid evidence and actionable intelligence to this effect,” Dr Arif Mushtaq Chaudhry, Additional Inspector General Police Special Branch Lahore wrote in a written response to Senator Sughra Imam question moved in the Senate on foreign funding to seminaries.

The committee sought details of seminaries being funded by foreign states in Punjab by Monday.

COMMENTS (1)

Sunil | 9 years ago | Reply Brotherly countries cutting your throats and you were blaming Indians!!!! What kinds of brothers are you?
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