Last outlawed terror groups carried out 10 major attacks

ISLAMABAD: Two terrorist groups banned earlier this month by the interior ministry were involved in 10 major attacks in the country, according to the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta).

Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA), a breakaway faction of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al Almi (LeJA), a franchise of the sectarian terrorist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, have claimed responsibility for 10 major terrorist attacks, including the August 8 deadly suicide bombing at Quetta’s Civil Hospital, Nacta’s National Coordinator Ahsan Ghani told The Express Tribune on Sunday.



The JuA and LeJA were outlawed by the interior ministry on November 11, 2016. And, according to Ghani, the notification was issued based on the findings of the country’s intelligence agencies which had been asked by Nacta to verify facts about them. With the fresh entries, the ‘list of banned outfits’ has grown to 63.

Moreover, another two organisations, Ghulaman-e-Sahaba (GeS) and Maymar Trust (MT), have been under observation (11th Schedule) for six months. The GeS was put on the ‘observation list’ on June 30, 2016, while the MT was listed two months later on August 31, 2016 by the interior ministry.

Similarly, Jamaatud Dawa has been on the same list since Jan 17, 2007, though no timeframe has been given by the ministry for the observation of the charity which, India alleges, is a front for the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group.

Ghani said the provincial governments would start sealing the offices of the newly proscribed groups from today (Monday) and their bank accounts would also be frozen. “There is a standard procedure which takes it course when an organisation is banned due to its unlawful activities in the country. Under this procedure, the bank accounts of the outfit are frozen,” he said. Moreover, the literature associated with the group is confiscated.

'Pakistan taking action against all terrorists'

He said the proscribed groups would not be allowed to resurface or re-emerge under different names. “We have also placed the names of persons affiliated with these organisations under the category of ‘proscribed persons’ besides outlawing the organisations for which they work. Since the individuals working for these groups have also been banned, so there is no question that these outfits would rebrand themselves and re-emerge,” he added.

Jamaatul Ahrar, a militant group, broke away from the TTP after a split in the terror conglomerate in August 2014. It has carried out several terror attacks, including on military, law enforcement agencies, government buildings, lawyers, and religious and ethnic minorities. The group claims that it had masterminded and carried out the August 8 attack on the Sandeman Provincial Hospital, commonly known as Civil Hospital, which killed over 70 people, mostly lawyers.

In August this year, the US State Department designated the JuA as a specially designated global terrorist group.

The Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al Alimi, a faction of sectarian terror group LeJ, has been blamed by the Balochistan home minister for the November 12 suicide bombing at the shrine of Sufi saint Shah Noorani in Khuzdar district. Interestingly, the Islamic State, aka Da’ish, claimed responsibility for the blast that killed more than 50 devotees.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2016.