Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi Tuesday said that 44 members of proscribed organisations, including Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) leader Maulana Masood Azhar's brother Mufti Abdul Rauf and Hammad Azhar, who is believed to be Masood's son, have been taken into preventive detention under the ongoing action against proscribed organisations.
Addressing a press conference, Shehryar said that actions against proscribed organisation will continue as per the decisions taken in National Security Committee (NSC) which reviewed National Action Plan (NAP). To implement the NAP, a high-level meeting was held in Ministry of Interior which was attended by representatives of all provincial governments and it decided to speed up action against proscribed organisations, he said.
He said the government has taken across the board action against proscribed organisations without any foreign pressure. "Now we will not allow anyone to use Pakistani soil for terrorist activities, while no force can intervene in Pakistan's domestic issues," he said.
Secretary Interior Major Azam Suleman Khan (retd) speaking on the occasion said the names of Mufti Abdul Rauf and Hammad Azhar were mentioned in the Indian dossier sent to Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama attack but the dossier provided by India does not have any evidence against anyone.
He said the government has asked India through the Foreign Office to provide evidence against these individuals. "If concert evidence is provided against them then action will taken," he said, adding if no evidence is found against them, they will be released.
To a question regarding the status of Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation, he said the notification regarding ban of these organisations would be issued in the next 24 hours by the Ministry of Interior.
The spokesman for Ministry of Interior on February 21 through a press statement said that the National Security Council (NSC) reviewed NAP in detail. It was decided during the meeting to accelerate action against proscribed organisations. The meeting also decided that Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation be notified as proscribed organisations by the Ministry of Interior.
When asked if Rauf is brother and Hamaad is the son of the JeM leader Masood Azhar, the secretary responded in the affirmative.
The action against these 44 members of banned groups comes a day after Pakistan promulgated a law to streamline the procedure for the implementation of the UN sanctions against individuals and organisations.
Interpreting the order, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said it means that the government has taken over the control of assets and properties of all banned outfits operating in the country. The order was issued to meet the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) regarding the implementation of designation of persons and entities under the UNSC resolutions.
AFP adds: "We have launched a crackdown against proscribed organisations and have taken 44 individuals into custody, including Mufti Abdul Rauf and Hammad Azhar," state minister for the interior Shehryar Afridi told reporters in Islamabad.
He did not give any further names, clarify what groups those detained allegedly belonged to, or say if they would face charges.
"If they still do not mend their ways, We have told them what will happen," Prime Minister Narendra Modi told an election rally in central India Tuesday.
Afridi said Pakistan was "not taking this action under pressure from anyone". Islamabad has vehemently denied involvement in militant attacks, and said there are no safe havens left for terror groups on its territory.
JeM leader Masood Azhar remains in Pakistan, foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told CNN last week, adding that he was "very unwell" and could not leave his house.
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