By Lalit K. Jha, IANS,
United Nations : Bowing to India’s demand and pressure from the international community, Pakistan has said it would proscribe the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a front of the Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT), and take action against its leaders for their role in the Mumbai terror attack.
The action would include freezing the assets of the group, Pakistani Ambassador to the UN Abdullah Hussain Haroon said in a statement Tuesday before the Security Council during a special debate on terrorism where members called for action against those responsible for the Nov 26 terror siege of Mumbai.
“The government of Pakistan has already initiated investigations on its own pertaining to the allegations of involvement of persons and entities in the Mumbai attacks,” Haroon said.
“After the designation by the Indian government of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa under 1267, the (Pakistani) government upon receiving this instruction shall proscribe the JuD and take under consequential action as required including the freezing of assets,” he said.
The Pakistani envoy said a plan was being prepared to ensure effective government supervision, as required by the UN Security Council in this regard.
India’s Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed Tuesday demanded that the Security Council should “proscribe” the Jamaat-ud-Dawa for its role in the Mumbai terrorist attack. India has also written a letter to the Security Council Friday in this regard.
“The Jamaat-ud-Dawa and other such organisations need to be proscribed internationally and effective sanctions imposed against them,” Ahamed told the 15-member Security Council, which held a debate on ‘Threats to international peace and security cause by terrorists’.
Diplomatic sources told IANS that the Security Council has already initiated the move to declare the group a terrorist outfit. This could happen as early as later this week, a diplomat familiar with the issue said. The LeT was declared as a terrorist outfit in 2002.
Haroon said Pakistan had already started action against those allegedly in the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
“An intelligence led operation strongly supported by law enforcement agencies is already under way to arrest the individuals alleged to be involved in the Mumbai attacks,” he said and quoted from mainstream US newspapers, including The New York Times about the action against Jamaat-ud-Dawa leaders in Pakistan.
“No training camps of the LeT or entity of this nature shall be allowed on the territory of Pakistan,” he said.
These measures give further proof of Pakistan’s determination to take action and not to allow its territory to be used for terrorism, Haroon said.
The Pakistan ambassador said all arms of the Pakistani government were moving in coordination and cohesion towards punishment of those who seek in any way to destroy the peace of its neighbours and the country.