No change made in list of banned outfits

ISLAMABAD: Despite long deliberations and discussions, extensive and elaborative press conferences with tall claims, the government hasn’t made any change in the much-discussed list of proscribed organisations during its review announced by the federal interior minister.
This list and its uploading on the National Counter Terrorism Authority’s (Nacta’s) official website has been a bone of contention between the top bureaucrats of the interior ministry and some Nacta officials in the near past because of the inclusion of some extremist organisations.
The interior secretary had slapped a senior Nacta official on the same issue in February this year. Following the incident, the list of banned terrorist organisation was removed from Nacta’s official website. During the present war against terrorist organisations and their safe havens in Pakistan, the leading anti-terrorism organisation, the Nacta, is unable to finalise its official website after hard work of several weeks as www.nacta.gov.pk still displays the message of ‘under construction’. Very few units of the Rapid Response Force in some cities have been launched under the ‘expired’ National Action Plan (NAP), but action against safe havens and supporters of terrorists, especially in terrorists’ real hub, Punjab, is still a dream. Senior officials reveal that the plan of setting up a Joint Intelligence Directorate for immediate intelligence sharing has already become a victim of egos of institutions.
In response to The News request, the Nacta on September 2 provided the following updated and latest list of terrorist organisations banned by the Government of Pakistan. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has repeatedly announced that the list of proscribed organisations is under review and is subject to certain changes. Later, he announced that the new list has been finalised after review. However, a comparison of the latest list with the old list shows that in fact no change has been made in the list and repeated announcements were simply a time-passing exercise. The Nacta, however, also held that the list is continuously under review.
List of proscribed/ banned organisations along with the date on which they were banned:
1. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Aug 14, 2001, 2. Sipha-e-Muhammad Pakistan (SMP), Aug 14, 2001, 3. Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), Jan 14, 2002, 4. Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT), Jan 14, 2002, 5. Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), Jan 14, 2002, 6. Tehreek-e-Jafria Pakistan (TJP), Jan 14, 2002, 7.Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat -e-Mohammadi (TNSM), Jan 14, 2002, 8. Tehreek-e-Islami, Nov 15, 2003, 9. Al-Qaeda, Mar 17, 2003, 10. Millat-e-Islamia Pakistan (ex-SSP), Nov 15, 2003, 11. Khuddam-ul- Islam (ex-JeM), Nov 15, 2003, 12. Islami Tehreek Pakistan (ex TJP), Nov 15, 2003, 13. Jamiat-ul-Ansar, Nov 20, 2003, 14. Jamiat-ul-Furqan, Nov 20, 2003, 15. Hizb-ul-Tahrir, Nov 20, 2003, 16. Khair-un-Nas International Trust, Oct 27, 2004, 17. Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Apr 7, 2006, 18. Islamic Students Movement of Pakistan (ISMP), Aug 21, 2006, 19. Lashkar-e-Islami, June 30, 2008, 20. Ansar-ul-Islam, June 30, 2008, 21. Haji Namdar Group, June 30, 2008, 22. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Aug 25, 2008, 23. Balochistan Republican Army (BRA), Sept 8, 2010, 24. Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), Sept 8, 2010, 25. Lashkar-e-Balochistan (LeB), Sept 8, 2010, 26. Balochistan Liberation United Front (BLUF), Sept 8, 2010, 27. Balochistan Muslla Defa Tanzeem (BMDT), Sept 8, 2010, 28. Shia Tulaba Action Committee, Gilgit, Oct 10, 2011, 29. Markaz Sabeel Organisation, Gilgit, Oct 10, 2011, 30. Tanzeem Naujawana-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat, Oct 10, 2011, 31. People’s Aman Committee (Lyari), Karachi, Oct 10, 2011, 32. Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) ex-banned organisation (SSP), Feb 15, 2012, 33. Al-Harmain Foundation, 34. Rabiat Trust, Mar 6, 2012, 35. Anjuman-e-Imamia Gilgit Baltistan, April 24, 2012, 36. Muslim Students Organisation (MSO), Gilgit Baltistan, April 24, 2012, 37. Tanzeem Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat, Gilgit Baltistan, June 5, 2012, 38. Balochistan Bunyad Parast Army, Aug 4, 2012, 39. Tehreek Nafaz-e-Aman, Aug 4, 2012, 40. Tahafuz Hadudullah, Aug 4, 2012, 41. Balochisan Waia Liberation Army, Aug 4, 2012, 42. Baloch Republican Party Azad, Aug 4, 2012, 43. Balochistan United Army, Aug 4, 2012, 44. Islam Mujahidin, Aug 4, 2012, 45. Jaish-e-Islam, Aug 4, 2012, 46. Balochistan National Liberation Army, Aug 4, 2012, 47. Khana-e-Hikmat Gilgit Baltistan, Gilgit, Mar 13, 2013, 48. Tehrik-e-Taliban Swat (TTS), Mar 15, 2013, 49. Tehrik-e-Taliban Mohmand (TTM), Mar 15, 2013, 50. Tariq Geedar Group (TGG), Mar 15, 2013, 51. Abdullah Azam Brigade, Mar 15, 2013, 52. East Turkmenistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Mar 15, 2013, 53. Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), Mar 15, 2013, 54. Islamic Jehad Union (IJU), Mar 15, 2013, 55. 313 Brigade, Mar 15, 2013, 56. Tehrik-e-Taliban Bajaur (TTB), Mar 15, 2013, 57. Amar bil Maroof Wa Nahi Anil Munkir (Haji Namdar GP), Mar 15, 2013, 58. Baloch Students Organisation Azad (BSO-A), Mar 15, 2013, 59. United Baloch Army (UBA), Mar 15, 2013, 60. Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM), Mar 15, 2013.
Enlisted Under UNSCR 1267:
1. Al-Akhtar Trust, Dec 1, 2005, 2. Al-Rashid Trust, Dec 1, 2005.
Enlisted Under Observation Second Schedule UNSCR 1267:
1. Jammat-ul-Daawa (JuD), Jan 17, 2007.
Tahir Alam Khan, IG Police Islamabad was also among the officers who were not ready to accept the list of banned organisations issued by the government. When he was confronted by The News regarding continuous permissions and support of the Islamabad Police for repeated programmes, protests and public meetings of banned pro-Taliban organisation Ahl-e-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat (ASWJ), ex Sipah-e-Sahaba-Pakistan (SSP), Tahir Alam maintained that the ASWJ was not a banned organisation. When his attention was drawn to the list of proscribed organisations, he said no such list was ever communicated to him. This list shows the ASWJ as well as Tanzeem Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat, Gilgit Baltistan, as proscribed terrorist organisations. Because of this inaction of the PML-N government and inability of top officials of the Interior Ministry and Nacta, not only Islamabad and Punjab police fully cooperate with and support these extremist organisations poisoning young brains with sectarian hatred but the media, especially news channels, also give maximum coverage and air time to top leaders of these Sunni as well as Shia banned sectarian organisations.
Both the media and police have a lame excuse that the government’s policy on this issue is not clear. Inaction of the government against Madaris controlled by these banned organisations in Punjab further strengthens the impression that the federal government, because of its inability, is sparing these terrorists and their safe havens in the name of “sensitivity of the matter”. Senior officials, however, believe that terrorists will gain time, reunite, will become all powerful again and will hit back at the Punjab.