New York [US], Sept 26 (ANI): Pakistan requested the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) demanding the release of monthly expenses for 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind and globally designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed. The council has 'approved' the letter after no objections were raised to it within the set deadline.

Pakistan, which has time and again proven to be a safe haven for global terrorists, has based its request by outlining the monthly expenses requirement of Jammat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief Saeed, who it claims, has to support a family of four.

In a letter to the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee, Pakistan has requested an asset freeze exemption for Saeed to access frozen funds and withdraw 1,50,000 Pakistani rupees every month to cover the claimed necessary expenses for himself and his family.



Pakistan in its request stated that it has received a request from Pakistani national Saeed, demanding a freeze exemption on his bank account.

Being a proscribed terrorist, Saeed is subjected to comprehensive economic and trade sanctions such as arms embargoes, travel bans, and financial or commodity restrictions.

In a notification, the UNSC Sanctions Committee said that Pakistani authorities had requested it to authorize certain expenditure to the benefit of Saeed.

"The Chair wishes to inform the members that no objections were placed by the set deadline of 15 August 2019 for the consideration of the draft letter. Consequently, the letter is approved and the Chair will instruct the Secretariat to dispatch it," the notification stated.

Hafiz Saeed, which has been designated as global terrorists by the United States, United Nations, and the European Union is responsible for many terrorist attacks in India including 26/11 attack in which 166 people were killed.

He is also accused of plotting the ghastly 2001 Parliament attack in India. Both India and the US have repeatedly called for justice to be delivered to the victims of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The UNSC on December 10, 2008 had listed Saeed as being associated with Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Al Qaida for "participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts of activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf or in support of" both entities.

While the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks was arrested in Pakistan on charges related to terror financing, the Islamabad's recent action of approaching the UN to seek help for Saeed tells a different story.

It appears the recent action by Pakistan of booking Saeed was a mere play to save itself from any sanctions by Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental body. Pakistan is making weak and fake cases against the proscribed terror outfits knowing well that they do not have legal standing other than to just make a point with the FATF - which is blatantly misleading as evidenced by the nature of the FIRs being filed against the terror groups and their supporters.

India had also labelled Hafiz's latest arrest as mere "drama" and "cosmetic".

The world community then and now has accused Pakistan of providing "sanctuary" to terrorists and providing them with a safe haven to carry out terror activities. (ANI)

