Split in Lashkar-e-Toiba? Hafiz Saeed aide Amir Hamza forms new group

The Pakistan government's ban on funding to Hafiz Saeed's group has resulted in a huge financial crunch for its affiliated outfits and led to a split in the LeT.

New Delhi: Pakistan government's ban on global terrorist Hafiz Saeed-linked group Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) has resulted in a split in Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), which was also founded by him, reports said on Monday.

The Pakistan government's ban on funding to Saeed's group has resulted in a huge financial crunch for its affiliated outfits and possibly led to a split in the LeT.

As per reports, the LeT has now split into two groups.

If reports are to be believed, LeT co-founder Maulana Amir Hamza has now parted ways and formed a new terror outfit named Jaish-e-Manqafa.

Maulana Amir Hamza is known to be a close aide of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed. 

Hamza had been receiving funds from Saeed who runs Jamaat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniat (FIF) in Pakistan.

However, after Pakistan’s recent ban on individuals and companies from funding Hafiz Saeed’s outfits, the cash crunch reportedly resulted in bickering over finances in the organisation and its affiliates.

It is believed that the Pakistan government's ban has forced Maulana Amir Hamza to part ways and explore other avenues for generating funds for his newly-formed terror organisation. 

He is also reportedly planning to execute terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir so as to gain the confidence of Pakistan's ISI.

The Pakistan government recently seized control of the charities run by terrorist Hafiz Saeed’s banned outfits - JuD and FIF. 

The government banned JuD and FIF across Pakistan, freezing their movable and immovable assets under the amended Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, Pakistani media reported. 

The Ministry of Law and Justice in Pakistan announced on February 9 that Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain amended the Act via ordinance; thus, taking action against entities banned by the United Nations. 

Pakistan’s Interior Ministry ordered the freezing of the assets, directing state governments to comply.

In January, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) barred companies and individuals from handing out doles to JuD and its affiliates.

(With Agency inputs)