ISLAMABAD – The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) on Monday banned several religious groups from collecting funds, according to a notification.
The organisations include Lashkar-e-Taiba and JuD’s charitable arm Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation.
Earlier in the day, local media reported that the government had decided to take over the assets and charities linked to JuD chief Hafiz Saeed. It was said that the decision was taken in a recent meeting on national security.
According to the plan, the ambulance services of the organisations are to be taken over by the Punjab government and their funding sources uncovered in the first phase.
Muridke Markaz is also going to be handed over to the government and its name changed as well, Geo News reported.
Washington and India blame JuD for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people. Hafiz Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the Mumbai attacks.
Spokesmen for the JuD and FIF both said earlier they could not comment until they receive official notifications of the government’s plans.
JuD’s network includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services. The JuD and FIF alone have about 50,000 volunteers and hundreds of other paid workers, according to officials.
