Anti-terror efforts: Punjab monitoring all banned outfits

Provincial govt submits progress report on National Action Plan in SC

ISLAMABAD:

The Punjab government has submitted a comprehensive report on action taken under the National Action Plan (NAP) on terrorism. The province has intensified crackdowns against banned outfits, especially focusing on cutting of their sources of funding.

Additional Advocate General Razzaq A Mirza submitted the report on behalf of the Punjab chief secretary before the two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja in the suo motu case regarding non-implementation of NAP in the country.

The government has assured the Supreme Court that all federal and provincial intelligence agencies have been asked to keep a proactive watch on the funding of proscribed organisations and welfare institutions.

The report states the Counterterrorism Department (CTD) is monitoring proscribed organisations and hardcore elements, including those coming under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 1997, and their facilitators.

Cases have been registered against many banned outfits on account of illegally collecting funds. The suspects involved have been arrested and investigation is under way. Receipt books and militant literature have also been seized. The report claims that the CTD has arrested a gang of 12 people who were collecting funds for Jaish-e- Muhammad.



All divisional commissioners and regional police officers have been directed not to allow proscribed as well as dubious organisations to collect charity through any means.

Since January 1, 48 cases have been registered on account of terrorism financing and 73 accused have been arrested. Courts have announced convictions in four cases while trials are underway in 28 more cases.

For the regulation of 13,782 seminaries in the province, the government has proposed their registration under a uniform legal framework that may be in line with the Punjab Private Education Institutions Ordinance, 1984. The report admits the presence of 6,479 unregistered seminaries in Punjab.

The government has also expressed its resolve to not allow any banned organisation to collect hides of sacrificial animals on Eidul Azha.

About the illegal transfer of money abroad, the report states the authorities have recovered about Rs56.611 million from the accused. Regarding the registration of nongovernmental organisations, it states around 47,403 registered NGOs are working in the province. The province will initiate the process for deregistration of 3,309 dysfunctional not-for-profit firms. No more NGOs shall be registered until the antecedents of the people forming the body, its objectives and its source of funding are cleared.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2015.