Confusion prevails over status of JuD, Haqqani network as Pak FO avoids confirming ban

Avoiding questions seeking a confirmation of the reported ban on Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) and the Haqqani network, the Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) has said that Pakistan, as a member of the United Nations, was required to act against those included in the sanctions list.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said on Thursday that the JuD and some other organizations have been listed by the UN and Pakistan, as a member state, is under obligations to proscribe the listed entities and individuals. She added that the nation took its obligations "very seriously" and tried to meet them "scrupulously," reported the Dawn.

However, she also added that the onus of initiating any action to ensure the full implementation lay on the Ministry of Interior and Nacta (National Counter-terrorism Authority) and therefore, only those two organisations could confirm whether JuD and the Haqqani network had been banned or not.

JuD and its leader Hafiz Saeed were added to list of proscribed organizations by the UN Security Council in 2008 as part of the Resolution 1267, which is also known as the Al Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee.

Addition of organizations or individuals to the list requires member states to freeze their assets, ban international travel of listed individuals, and prevent the supply of weapons, technology and other aids to these groups and individuals.

Much confusion has surrounded reports that suggested that the Pakistani government planned to ban JuD and the Haqqani network.

A key official said that no formal notification proscribing JuD had been issued as yet but added that any national action must be seen distinctly from the compliance of the UN sanctions.

A UN team from the sanctions committee is expected to visit Pakistan shortly as part of the ongoing consultations with Pakistan on counter-terrorism.