While Pakistan on the one hand talks about implementing the National Action Plan (NAP) to crack down on terrorism, on the other hand, it openly allows the charity wing of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) to set up a camp in Islamabad to collect donations in the name of a "Kashmir Fund".
The Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), a welfare wing of the JuD- led by Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, has set up a camp in the Blue Area, the main business district of Islamabad, to collect cash donations in the name of a "Kashmir Fund", reports the Express Tribune.
The JuD is the political wing of the banned entity listed under the United Nations's list of terrorist organisations, Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Apart from raising funds, the FIF is reportedly also playing pro-Jihad songs besides showcasing videos related to the present unrest in India's Kashmir.
The banners erected near the camp carry an appeal from JuD chief Hafiz Saeed requesting people to come forward and generously donate for the Kashmiri cause.
The appeal also says that the funds would be utilised for relief activities in Kashmir.
Also Read
Volunteers of FIF are said to be present at the camp.
The JuD is on a watch list in Pakistan, but reports say something else.
According to the charity's Media Coordinator, Ahmad Nadeem, there is currently no restriction on the FIF's activities in Pakistan.
"There was a confusion over the issue last year and the FIF was forcibly stopped from collecting donations by different city administrations. But, later the Lahore High Court ruled in favour of the FIF and the charity organisation is free to carry out its relief activities and funds generation," the Express Tribune quoted him, as saying.
Nadeem added that the camp in Islamabad has been established on a temporary basis after obtaining necessary permission from the local administration and keeping in view the unrest in Kashmir.
Though the Punjab Home Department in July had directed the Punjab police to be vigilant on the fundraising activists of JuD through the platform of the FIF, the Pakistan's Government direct links with Hafiz Saeed has been exposed by Islamabad allowing him to lead an anti-India rally on the Kashmir issue.
In line with the international practice to consider FIF and JuD as proscribed, the Pakistan Electronic Media and Regulatory Authority in 2015 directed TV channels to stop giving coverage to activities of the FIF and JuD. But, it seems nothing is working on ground reality.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content