US designates JuD-backed MML as terrorist outfit
- By Web Desk -
- Apr 03, 2018
WASHINGTON: The US Department of State has amended the designation of outlawed Lashkar e-Taiba (LeT) to include Jamaatud Dawa’s (JuD) political front Milli Muslim League (MML) as its affiliate.
A statement of the State Department said the MML and Tehreek-e- Azadi-e Kashmir (TAJK) have been added to LeT’s designations as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224.
Ambassador Nathan A. Sales, the Coordinator for Counter-terrorism at the Department of State, noted: “today’s amendments take aim at Lashkar e-Taiba’s efforts to circumvent sanctions and deceive the public about its true character.”
Today, @StateDeptCT has amended the designation of Pakistan-based terrorist organization Lashkar e-Taiba (LeT) to include the aliases Milli Muslim League (MML) and Tehreek-e- Azadi-e Kashmir (TAJK). https://t.co/NiDG1xZvCL
— Department of State (@StateDept) April 2, 2018
“Whatever LeT chooses to call itself, it remains a violent terrorist group. The United States supports all efforts to ensure that LeT does not have a political voice until it gives up violence as a tool of influence.”
In pursuance of the decision, the US Department of the Treasury designated seven members of the MML central leadership body for acting for on behalf of LeT, which included Saifullah Khalid, Muzammil Iqbal Hashimi, Muhammad Harris Dar, Tabish Qayyuum, Fayyaz Ahmad, Faisal Nadeem, and Muhammad Ehsan.
Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had rejected an application of the Milli Muslim League (MML) seeking its registration as a political party over alleged links with militant organizations.
The MML filed the application with the ECP for its recognition as a political party. The Ministry of Interior in a letter to the ECP, had asked the election body to ban the party for having alleged links with banned militant outfits.
The Chief Election Commissioner, who headed a bench of ECP, observed that the Ministry’s reservations are of serious nature, which needed to be addressed first before the party’s registration. The CEC pointed out that the Ministry had reservations with regard to the party’s links with banned militant outfits, adding that the party should approach the Ministry to address them.