UN proscribed terrorist groups continue to operate in Pakistan: US State Dept

WASHINGTON (Staff Report) - The United States has alleged that some terrorist groups proscribed by United Nations, including the Haqqani Network, Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Lashkar-e-Taiba, continue to raise funds and freely operate in Pakistan as the country's anti-terrorism military push is progressing unevenly.

The State Department, in its Country Reports on Terrorism 2015, said that the Haqqani Network is hiding in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and conducting its operations from there.

The report, which mentions the Islamic State militant group as the biggest global terrorist threat, also noted that Pakistan had formed the National Action Plan (NAP) to ensure that no armed militias were allowed to function in the country; however, NAP’s uneven implementation was frequently discussed in the Pakistani media in 2015.

It stated: "Some UN-designated terrorist groups, such as Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT) affiliates Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation, were able to raise funds and hold rallies in Pakistan. LeT/JuD leader, Hafiz Saeed, who is also a UN-designated terrorist, was able to make frequent public appearances in support of the organization’s objectives, which were covered by the Pakistani media, for much of the year."

"In September, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Agency prohibited media coverage of LeT and affiliated groups, although the groups continued to recruit and operate around the country. Despite JuD and FiF’s proscription under the UN sanctions regimes, the Pakistani government affirmed in December that neither organization was banned in Pakistan."

The report also looked at Pakistan's decision to reform its Exit Control List, saying that the ECL is intended to prevent terrorists and criminal actors from traveling abroad and the government has announced to remove thousands of people from the ECL on grounds of their wrongful or unwarranted inclusion.

The State Department appreciated Pakistan's steps towards harmonizing its national export control list with items controlled by the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Missile Technology Control Regime, and Australia Group.

It commended Pakistan for developing internal industry compliance guidelines and an industry outreach program for strategic technology sectors that regularly shares information with these industries.

"Pakistan is a constructive and active participant in the Nuclear Security Summit process and the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, and has worked to strengthen its strategic trade controls, including updating its national export control list," the annual publication said.

The report concluded that the United States hoped to further strengthen ties with Pakistan and enhance bilateral cooperation to stabilize Pakistan against all kinds of threats.

The US government also seeks to partner more closely with Pakistan on a further enhanced outreach campaign for industry to fully understand and implement Pakistan’s export control requirements, as well as to begin a dialogue on controls on conventional weapons and related dual-use technologies, it added.