India is keeping a close watch over Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) being involved in fundraising for so-called flood-relief efforts in Pakistan, with thousands of cadres of the terror outfits active across the country under the pretext of extending help to flood-hit people. Sources told The Daily Guardian that a terrorist Hafiz Abdul Rauf, who has been sanctioned by the US on terror funding charges, is said to be leading the Lashkar’s flood relief operations in Pakistan. According to sources, India is gathering more information regarding the entire exercise fund raising by the Lashkar’s jihad commander.
“India’s apprehension is that the LeT is collecting fund for the terror activities on the pretext of helping the flood-hit people in Pakistan. Just for public consumption, a couple of camps are being run by the cadres of the terror outfit in the flood-ravaged country,” sources said. Pakistan is claiming that these cadres are involved in distribution of blankets and operation of flood kitchen, and the donation for the same is being collected, sources added. “What Delhi is trying to ascertain is whether the donation is being collected to fund the terror activities from Pakistan. The strong possibility is that Lashkar cadres are involved in collecting money for the terror purpose only,” say sources.
Officials told this newspaper that India has drawn attention of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) towards this operation. Sources said that flood relief operation is being run from Lashkar’s Masjid al-Qadsia in Lahore. “What the Paris-based terror funding watchdog should look into is that the Lashkar operatives are openly raising funds in Lahore and the government in Pakistan continues to be ignorant of this,” say officials. According to a source, the Pakistan government may try to lend it a positive angle claiming that the Lashkar volunteers are involved in social work, distributing blankets and food among the flood-hit people.
Sources said that some pro-Lashkar social media posts have put out some images showing these volunteers as members of the Allah-o-Akbar Tehreek. This is a political outfit which had been founded by Lashkar chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed. Officials say that the group is trying to use the natural calamity as an opportunity to raise funds for future use for the terror activities. Sources said that Delhi has alerted other countries including the US to keep a close eye on this development adding this is clear case of Pakistan encouraging the terrorists to carry out their agenda in a free atmosphere.
