PESHAWAR: Authorities in Pakistan have ordered a crackdown against Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jammat-ud-Dawa (JuD), calling its countrywide fundraising campaign illegal. Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), JuD's “charity wing“, is seeking donations, trying to cash in on the recent unrest in Jammu and Kashmir.
JuD is collecting funds through “Fitrana“ (mandatory charity), “Zakat“ (compulsory annual payment by the rich) and “Sadkaats“ (charities). Its members have distributed pamphlets, put up posters at various locations, asking people to donate. The blatant campaign compelled Punjab's home department on Wednesday to direct top police officials to take strict action against JuD, and seek all fundraising details.
Though Pakistan banned media coverage of JuD and FIF, the government did not stop their fund raising activities. JuD is a front for Laskar-e-Taiba (LeT), the terror outfit behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Pakistan banned LeT in 2002 after the December 2001 attack on Indian Parliament, but it continued to operate under the new names of JuD and FIF.
A senior police official was quoted by media as saying that the action against the donation campaign should have been initiated earlier, but the provincial government was reluctant to take on religious outfits without strong reasons. Saeed recently made frequent public appearances in support of his organisations he uses to call for jihad against India.