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Lahore: Punjab Home Department Tuesday directed the Punjab Police to stop 22 banned outfits from collecting Zakat, Fitrana and donations during Ramazan.
The department issued a list of the 22 banned outfits to the Punjab and Lahore police along with the order. The list includes Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipahe Muhammad Pakistan, Lashkare Tayyaba, Jaishe Muhammad, Sipahe Sahaba Pakistan, Tehreek-i-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi, Tehreeke Jafria Pakistan, Millate-e-Islamia Pakistan, Khudam-ul-Islam, Islami Tehreeke Pakistan, Hizb-ul-Tehreer, Jamiat-ul-Ansaar, Jamaat-ul-Furqan, Khair-ul-Nisa International Trust, Islamic Student Movement Pakistan, Tehreeke Taliban Pakistan and Jamaat-ud-Daawa.
The list also includes Balochistan’s five banned outfits, Balochistan Liberation Front, Balochistan Republican Army, Lashkar-e-Balochistan, Balochistan Liberation United Front and Balochistan Armed Defence Organization. The Home Department also ordered Punjab and Lahore Police to observe activities of Sunni Tehreek, which is not banned, but its activities are under observation.
DIG Operations Lahore Ghulam Mahmood Dogar told this correspondent that they have not received any directions yet from the top cops.
He, however, said they were already practicing to keep vigilance on the activities of suspicious elements under schedule 4 of Anti Terrorism Act.
A district police officer, on condition of anonymity, said they are already monitoring activities of suspicious elements.
He said that they could only stop these banned outfits by arresting its members under 16-MPO Act.
Despite the police claims, the aforesaid organizations easily manage collection of Zakat, Fitrana and donations during Ramazan and install camps even on the Mall Road and collect hides of sacrificial animals on Eid-ul-Azha. Yahya Mujahid, a spokesman of a banned outfit, claimed they have court orders for collecting funds for their welfare projects. He claimed the government is violating court orders by placing them in the list of banned outfits. He added they will collect funds during Ramazan.
(The News)
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