Karachi, Dec 03: Pakistan's Central Bank has ordered local banks to freeze the accounts of three Muslim militant groups banned by the government last month under an anti-terrorism law. Banks have been asked to freeze the accounts of the Shiite group Tehreek-i-Islami Pakistan, the Sunni group Millat-e-Islami and Khudam-ul Islam, Syed Wasimuddin, a spokesman for the State Bank of Pakistan, told Dow Jones newswires today.
The first two have been accused of sectarian violence between minority Shiite and majority Sunni Muslims, and Khudam-ul-Islam of sending separatists rebels into Kashmir.
The government of President Pervez Musharraf, banned the groups on Nov 15, saying they had tried to evade an earlier ban by changing their names.
The freezing of funds will be conducted under Pakistan's anti-terrorism law introduced in 1997, said Wasimuddin. The law is subject to constant revision. Bureau Report