The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday allowed outlawed Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed to draw money from his bank account for basic expenses, a private TV channel reported.
According to reports, Pakistan had approached UNSC with a request to let the JuD chief use his bank account for personal expenses. “The Chair has the honour to refer to his draft letter to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan communicating the Committee’s decision with respect to the intention of the Pakistani authorities to authorize certain expenditures to the benefit of Hafiz Saeed to cover basic expenses,” a note by the chair said. Reports further said UN has allowed Saeed to withdraw approximately $1,000 to cover necessary basic living expenses for him and his family.
The Foreign Office, meanwhile, said that such an exemption is in line with the established procedures and practices of the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee. “Hafiz Saeed and others had submitted an exemption request for basic expenditure to the United Nations Security Council. The request was later approved by the Council as a matter of routine,” FO spokesperson said in a statement. The spokesperson expressed disappointment that a certain section of Indian media was unnecessarily politicising the issue to cast negative aspersions on Pakistan’s efforts to implement its obligations under the UN sanctions regimes. On July 17, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) had arrested Saeed while he was travelling from Gujranwala to Lahore. He was taken into custody as part of the government’s crackdown against banned organisations under the National Action Plan.