United Nations: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) 1267 Committee has allowed Pakistan-based UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed limited access to his otherwise sanctioned bank account. The anti-terror committee approved Pakistan’s request to let Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed to use his bank account for meeting “basic expenses”.
“The Chair has the honour to refer to his draft letter to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan communicating the Committee’s decision with respect to the intention of the Pakistani authorities to authorise certain expenditures to the benefit of Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, Haji Muhammad Ashraf, and Zafar Iqbal, to cover basic expenses as specified in the note verbale of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan...” , said a note issued by the 1267 Committee which deals with terror groups like the ISIS, the al-Qaeda and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities.
The note also states that there were no objections from the committee members or any other UN members to the Pakistani request to let Hafiz Saeed access his bank account. Saeed is wanted by India in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. India has been asking Pakistan to hand him over to face justice in the case.
It is significant that the note was issued even as the UNGA session was on where Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar participated. Jaishankar said that India was willing for talks with Pakistan but not as long as the country supported terror outfits that targeted India.
