New Delhi is planning to urge the FATF to keep a close eye on funding of the political outfit being backed by the Mumbai attack mastermind.
With the political party backed by 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed set to contest upcoming national and provincial elections in Pakistan, Indian diplomatic, intelligence and security networks have been put on high alert, with clear instructions to officials to closely monitor the development in the neighbouring country. “As Hafiz Saeed’s direct involvement in the political activities of the party cannot be ruled out, Indian officials have been asked to collect all necessary details related to this so that the inputs could be taken up with the key global forums and international community. A high-level meeting at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) discussed this matter during which the future plan of action was decided,” a diplomatic source told The Daily Guardian.
According to sources, India is also planning to bring this development to the knowledge of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), urging the global terror and money laundering watchdog to keep a close on eye on the issues related to the funding of the political outfit being backed by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed. “India is likely to voice concern that the funding that will be collected for this political outfit might be diverted to support terror activities from territory under control of Pakistan,” an official told The Daily Guardian. Indian agencies have information that the fund collection process has already been initiated by Pakistan Markazai Muslim League (PMML) which is being backed by Saeed. His son Talha Saeed is also contesting from a constituency in Lahore.
“Even though Hafiz Saeed is in jail, he has got the backing and sympathy of the state agencies in Islamabad. The Mumbai attack mastermind can therefore be allowed to be actively involved in formulation of strategy for PMML. This will embolden LeT terrorists to expand their bases in the neighbourhood and in the adjoining region,” said the official, adding, “This is something that the global bodies such as FATF and UN need to keep a close eye on.”
In fact, a new political front organisation of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed has fielded candidates for most of the national and provincial assembly constituencies across Pakistan for the February 8 general elections. The party has claimed that it wants to make the country an Islamic welfare state. Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has been in jail since 2019 after being convicted for several years in multiple terror finance cases along with some other leaders of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD).
The Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) party – set up by Saeed – says it is a political party. The electoral symbol for the PMML is ‘chair’. In a video message, PMML President Khalid Masood Sindhu said that his party is contesting on most of the national and provincial assembly seats. Saeed’s son Talha Saeed is contesting from Lahore’s NA-127.
The US has placed a USD 10 million bounty on Saeed, a UN-designated terrorist. Saeed-led JuD is the front organisation for the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which is responsible for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, including six Americans.
T. BRAJESH