Banned outfits set to collect hides

Police has been directed to stop any banned outfit from setting up hide collection points.

ISLAMABAD: Police in the twin cities have been instructed to take action against any banned religious organisation that tries to collect hides of sacrificial animals during Eidul Azha. However, the representatives of the banned outfits claim they are “all set to collect the hides under the guise of welfare organisations.”

“No banned religious outfit will be allowed to establish their camps or collection points anywhere in the city,” said Commissioner Rawalpindi Zahid Saeed. “We will keep a check on the activities of these organisations during Eid days.” He said that unlike past years, their attempts to collect hides will also be resisted in the federal capital.

Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Amir Ali Ahmed said that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been directed to prevent any outfit from establishing hide collection points in the city without prior permission from the administration.

With the agreement made by the administration of the twin cities barring outfits from collecting hides freely, not many banners and posters appealing for hides were seen in the two cities. However, a member of Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) said, “If they prevent us from collecting hides openly, we will do it under the umbrella of our welfare organisation called Falah-e-Insaniyat.” Other banned outfits will also operate under the their welfare organisations, he added.

JuD, the largest collector of hides of sacrificial animals on Eidul Azha, was banned for its alleged links to militants involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The organisation was also involved in Kashmiri Jihad.

A spokesperson of JuD maintained that the organisation was no longer banned since the government was unable to prove the allegations against their chief Hafiz Saeed . “Due to the false cases against us for our alleged involvement in terrorism cases, we are closely monitored and cannot campaign for the collection of hides openly.”

The religious outfits — banned or not — claim they utilise the collected hides of the animals to generate money for the needy and for welfare projects. However, sceptics allege that the funds generated through selling hides are used to purchase logistic support including weapons for their “Jihad” missions.

Despite being aware of this, no city police or administration official can take any action against such organisations who claim to work for the welfare of the people through their campaigns.

There are over 30 welfare organisations working under the umbrella of the religious outfits that were banned for their suspicious activities.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2010.