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Pak puts three more militant outfits under ban
Islamabad, Nov 21: Pakistan has banned three more religious groups for allegedly spreading extremism and terrorism, bringing the total to six of such outfits outlawed in as many days.
Islamabad, Nov 21: Pakistan has banned three more religious groups for allegedly spreading extremism and terrorism, bringing the total to six of such outfits outlawed in as many days.
An Interior Ministry notification yesterday said the Jamiatul Ansar, the Hizbul Tehrir and Jamaatul Furqan had been banned under Section 11e of the anti-Terrorism Act, Pakistan daily 'Dawn' reported today.
A ministry spokesman said the federal government had asked the four provincial governments to immediately seal the offices of the newly-banned groups, two of which, he said, were linked to similar groups banned last year and the third to a foreign-based organisation.
The spokesman, however, said the government, which banned three other groups and placed a fourth on watch-list on November 15, had no intention to ban any other religious organisation in the near future. The Jamaatul Furqan was a sister organisation of the banned Jaish-i-Mohammad, the Jamiatul Ansar was a reincarnation of Harkatul Mujahideen, while the Hizbul Tehrir was a part of the Khilafat movement which has its headquarters outside the country, he said.
The three banned groups were under surveillance and the Interior Minister had received various reports against them, he added.
Talking about Jamaatul Dawa, put on the watch list by the Interior Minister last week, the official said the government had no plan yet to ban this group. The spokesman rejected press reports about the possibility of putting a ban on Jamaat-i-Islami as well as the impression that the party was being watched by the law-enforcement agencies.
The three religious groups banned on November 15 were Millat-i-Islamia Pakistan (formerly Sippah-i-Sahaba Pakistan), Khuddam-i-Islam (formerly Jaish-i-Mohammad) and Islami Tehrik-i-Pakistan (formerly Tehrik-i-Jafria Pakistan).
Bureau Report
A ministry spokesman said the federal government had asked the four provincial governments to immediately seal the offices of the newly-banned groups, two of which, he said, were linked to similar groups banned last year and the third to a foreign-based organisation.
The spokesman, however, said the government, which banned three other groups and placed a fourth on watch-list on November 15, had no intention to ban any other religious organisation in the near future. The Jamaatul Furqan was a sister organisation of the banned Jaish-i-Mohammad, the Jamiatul Ansar was a reincarnation of Harkatul Mujahideen, while the Hizbul Tehrir was a part of the Khilafat movement which has its headquarters outside the country, he said.
The three banned groups were under surveillance and the Interior Minister had received various reports against them, he added.
Talking about Jamaatul Dawa, put on the watch list by the Interior Minister last week, the official said the government had no plan yet to ban this group. The spokesman rejected press reports about the possibility of putting a ban on Jamaat-i-Islami as well as the impression that the party was being watched by the law-enforcement agencies.
The three religious groups banned on November 15 were Millat-i-Islamia Pakistan (formerly Sippah-i-Sahaba Pakistan), Khuddam-i-Islam (formerly Jaish-i-Mohammad) and Islami Tehrik-i-Pakistan (formerly Tehrik-i-Jafria Pakistan).
Bureau Report