After US Suspends Aid, Pak Blacklists Hafiz Saeed’s JuD and Others

Hafiz Saeed is named as one of the chief conspirators of the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.

(Photo: Reuters)

Pakistan on Saturday blacklisted Haifz Saeed’s organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawa and several other terror organisations, reported Times of India, citing an Express News report.

The interior ministry reportedly released a list of 72 outfits that have been blacklisted, which included Falah-e-Insaniat, which is a subsidiary of JuD.

This move by the ministry comes days after the financial regulator – Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan – issued a notification prohibiting the collection of donations by the JuD, the front organisation of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, as well as several other such groups named in a list of outfits banned by the UN Security Council.

The interior ministry’s list is seen as a move that was brought about by the mounting pressure against the country after the US suspended close to $2 bn in security aid, stating that Pakistan had failed to curb the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network terror groups and dismantle their safe havens.

Following Pakistan’s disclosure of the list, the US on Tuesday, 9 January, said that it was ready to work with Pakistan to combat terrorism.

Our expectations are straight forward: Taliban and Haqqani leadership and attack planners should no longer be able to find safe haven or conduct operations from Pakistani soil.

Pentagon Press Secretary Army Col Rob Manning

He said the US has conveyed "specific and concrete steps" to Pakistan that it could take to eliminate terror networks on its soil.

"We stand ready to work together with Pakistan to combat terrorist groups without distinction," Manning said.

He reiterated that the amount – USD 900 million in coalition support fund to Pakistan – has been suspended, not cancelled or reprogrammed.

"The amount has been suspended, not cancelled or reprogrammed, as we continue to hope that Pakistan will take decisive action against the terrorist and militant groups that we seek. This suspension is not a permanent cutoff at this time. Security funding and pending deliveries will be frozen,” said Manning.

The amount, suspended recently by the Trump administration, was part of the approximately USD 2 billion in security assistance to Pakistan.

The Fiscal Year '17 NDAA provides up to USD 900 million for Pakistan in Coalition Support Funds (CSF).

(With inputs from PTI)