Table of Contents
What has happened?
- Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Mohammad Saeed’s son Hafiz Talha Saeed has been declared a designated terrorist,
- By the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
- In a notification, the Union home ministry said that Hafiz Talha Saeed, 46, has been actively involved in recruitment, fund collection, and planning and executing attacks by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in India and Indian interests in Afghanistan.
- “And whereas, the central government believes that Hafiz Talha Saeed is involved in terrorism and he should be notified as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967),“ the notification said.
UAPA 1967
- Notably, the Central Government had amended the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 in August 2019, o include the provision of designating an individual as a terrorist.
- Prior to this amendment, only organizations could be designated as terrorist organizations.
- Following the amendment, the Ministry had designated nine individuals as designated terrorists under provisions of the UAPA Act in July 2020.
- On Friday, an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder and the chief of the Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD),
- Hafiz Saeed to 33 years in prison in two new terror financing cases that were registered by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).
- The department had registered the FIRs in 2019 under various sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
- The judge also imposed a fine of PKR 3,40,000 on Saeed.
- Previously, Saeed, the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attacks, was sentenced to 32 years in prison in connection with five other terror financing cases.
- Now, all his sentences will run concurrently.
- With pressure built up by the international community, Pakistan is investigating matters related to the operations and functioning of LeT and its charitable wing JuD and other branches,
- In order to convince the Paris-based anti-terror watchdog, FATF, that it is taking substantial steps to keep a check on terror financing.
Who is Hafiz Saeed?
- Hafiz Saeed is the founder and leader of the Islamist terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which is a Sunni group.
- According to Stanford University’s Centre for International Security and Co-operation (CISC),
- The organisation was founded in 1990 and its goals include conducting jihad, preaching the true religion and training the new generation along true Islamic lines.
- Some of its goals are aligned with that of Pakistan, including the liberation of Kashmir from India.
- Saeed is also the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.
- Other attacks that LeT has been involved in include- The 2001 shootout at Parliament House in New Delhi, and, most recently, the 2016 attack on the military headquarters in Uri.
What is the case against Hafiz Saeed?
- Under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, Saeed, along with other leaders of the JuD, was booked in July 2020, For terror financing and money laundering registered by the state’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Lahore, Gujranwala and Multan.
- The charges against Saeed included allegations that JuD was financing terrorism by collecting funds from various non-profit organisations and international Islamist charities.
- According to CISC, LeT’s fundraising efforts are “diverse and systematic” and It is not uncommon to find donation boxes for the group in Pakistani markets.
- It adds that a type of fundraising method that is unique to LeT is collecting animal skins from religious sacrifices and subsequently selling them in tanneries.
- ISI and the Pakistani government too help the LeT bring in funds, and it is believed to have fund- raising offices in Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives and the Gulf region
significance
- Saeed was arrested by Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in July 2019 while he was travelling from Lahore to Gujranwala.
- His arrest came just days before Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was scheduled to visit the US to talk with then President Donald Trump.
- Before his arrest, in February 2019 the FATF had warned Pakistan to deliver on its commitments to curb terror
- Nonetheless, the FATF placed Pakistan in the grey list in July 2018. Till today, Pakistan is on this list.
Q) Which of the following statements regarding Financial Action Task Force is correct?
- FATF was established in 1989 during the G7 Summit in Paris.
- Currently, it consists of 37 members and India is also one of the member.
- 1 only
- 1 & 2 only
- 2 & 3 only
- All of the above
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