Interior ministry seeks agencies report on MML
Group fields candidates in various constituencies
Saifullah Khalid (2nd L), president of Milli Muslim League (MML) political party, holds a party flag with others during a news conference in Islamabad on August 7, 2017. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
ISLAMABAD :
Enlistment of Milli Muslim League (MML) deemed to be political offshoot of Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) remained pending with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as interior ministry on Monday apprised the election authorities that they are still waiting for reports from intelligence agencies about the group.
MML lawyer told a four-member bench of ECP that no office-bearer of the party is under government watch list that could have barred the enlistment of the group as a political party.
“Only Hafiz Saeed is on watch list. None of my clients are in this list,” he said while referring to a list of interior ministry on persons suspected of being involved in the activities that government considers nefarious.
US declared MML LeT affiliate at India's behest: party leaders
A representative of interior ministry Mirza Khalid apprised the bench that his ministry is waiting replies from the relevant intelligence agencies. Ministry could give its conclusive report once it gets replies of letters it has written to relevant intelligence agencies, he added.
ECP adjourned hearing till June 13 with directions to the ministry to compile detailed report by the next hearing.
Government through a Presidential Ordinance has declared that any individual or organisation which has been declared proscribed by the United Nations (UN) would be deemed as banned outfit in the country.
A group of people in August last year announced formation of MML.
US State Department in April this year included Milli Muslim League (MML) in its list of Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTO), saying it is a front for banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The group denies any link to LeT or any other banned outfit.
Though not enlisted with ECP as a political party, MML has fielded candidates for the July 25 general elections in different constituencies.
MML website says instead of lineage-based politics, it wishes to bring forward well qualified and accomplished leadership, to provide a roadmap to prevent anyone from stealing country’s wealth or violating the rights of its citizens.
US designates Hafiz Saeed's MML as LeT affiliate in FTO list
The group has kept Kashmir policy on top of its agenda and says that it advocates Kashmiris’ right to self-determination according to UN Resolutions. It has also enlisted minority rights, women empowerment and ideology of Pakistan as key areas of its focus.
In last by-elections MML had fielded its candidate in NA-120 the constituency which had fallen vacant after former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified as a result of Supreme Court decision.
Though party was not registered with ECP and was not allotted election symbol, it did wide campaign of candidate it had fielded. He was eventually treated as independent and bagged thousands of votes.
MML claims that it is fielding candidates in various National and provincial assembly constituencies.
Enlistment of Milli Muslim League (MML) deemed to be political offshoot of Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) remained pending with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as interior ministry on Monday apprised the election authorities that they are still waiting for reports from intelligence agencies about the group.
MML lawyer told a four-member bench of ECP that no office-bearer of the party is under government watch list that could have barred the enlistment of the group as a political party.
“Only Hafiz Saeed is on watch list. None of my clients are in this list,” he said while referring to a list of interior ministry on persons suspected of being involved in the activities that government considers nefarious.
US declared MML LeT affiliate at India's behest: party leaders
A representative of interior ministry Mirza Khalid apprised the bench that his ministry is waiting replies from the relevant intelligence agencies. Ministry could give its conclusive report once it gets replies of letters it has written to relevant intelligence agencies, he added.
ECP adjourned hearing till June 13 with directions to the ministry to compile detailed report by the next hearing.
Government through a Presidential Ordinance has declared that any individual or organisation which has been declared proscribed by the United Nations (UN) would be deemed as banned outfit in the country.
A group of people in August last year announced formation of MML.
US State Department in April this year included Milli Muslim League (MML) in its list of Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTO), saying it is a front for banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The group denies any link to LeT or any other banned outfit.
Though not enlisted with ECP as a political party, MML has fielded candidates for the July 25 general elections in different constituencies.
MML website says instead of lineage-based politics, it wishes to bring forward well qualified and accomplished leadership, to provide a roadmap to prevent anyone from stealing country’s wealth or violating the rights of its citizens.
US designates Hafiz Saeed's MML as LeT affiliate in FTO list
The group has kept Kashmir policy on top of its agenda and says that it advocates Kashmiris’ right to self-determination according to UN Resolutions. It has also enlisted minority rights, women empowerment and ideology of Pakistan as key areas of its focus.
In last by-elections MML had fielded its candidate in NA-120 the constituency which had fallen vacant after former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified as a result of Supreme Court decision.
Though party was not registered with ECP and was not allotted election symbol, it did wide campaign of candidate it had fielded. He was eventually treated as independent and bagged thousands of votes.
MML claims that it is fielding candidates in various National and provincial assembly constituencies.