Pakistan says Jamaat-ud Dawa activities being watched

Islamabad: Mumbai mastermind Hafiz Saeed-ledJamat-ud Dawa (JuD) is on Pakistan's list of 'suspected' organisations and the government is monitoring its activities, a senior minister said.

State Minister for Interior Baleeghur Rehman said this yesterday responding to questions in the Senate, the Upper House, where role of intelligence agencies and a policy of patronising selected proscribed groups came under discussion.

"The JuD has been put on the list of suspected organisations and appropriate action will be taken against it if it (the organisation) is found involved in any activity other than charity work," said Rehman.

He reminded the House that the JuD was banned in 2008 and later in 2010 had been allowed to continue its charity work following a Lahore High Court ruling.

"However, the ministry of interior was monitoring its activities," he added.

The issue was raised by Pakistan People's Party Senator Farhatullah Babar who said permitting banned outfits to resurrect under different names ostensibly as charity groups undermined the state's credibility in fighting militancy.

He said the law clearly provided that no banned organisation would be allowed to resurrect and there was no ambiguity in the law.

"The government on July 7 had promised to share the LHC judgment but it never happened till date prompting us to assume that the LHC has perhaps not given the JuD permission to operate," he added. 

It is believed that the government policy for an organisation like JuD is not clear as on the one hand it has announced to eliminate militancy but certain extremists outfits are allowed to operate under the garb of charity.