Without conviction (Indian Express)

Mains Paper 3: Defense and Security
Prelims level: Jamaat-ud Dawa
Mains level: Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security

Context:

• On February 12, Hafiz Saeed, chief of the Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) — a front for the Lashkar-e-Taiba — was convicted in two cases and sentenced to five-and-a-half years imprisonment in each.
• One charge related to membership of a proscribed organisation and the other to fundraising and money laundering for terrorism.
• The cases had been filed against Saeed, a globally designated terrorist with a $10 million bounty on his head under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
  Behind the timing of the filing of the cases:
• Saeed’s arrest in July 2019 were related to two events. The first was Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to the US in July where he was to meet President Donald Trump. The second was pressure from the Paris-based international terror-financing watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
• Prior to the February 2018 meeting of the FATF, Pakistan promulgated an ordinance that provided for proscribing individuals and entities listed by the UN Security Council.
• The JuD was thus proscribed. However, the move did not cut much ice and the FATF put Pakistan on its grey list in June 2018.
• It was given 15 months to implement a 27-point action plan to address the deficiencies in its money laundering and terror-financing regimes. Subsequently, the ordinance was allowed to lapse and the JuD came off the list of banned organisations.

Grey listing under FATF:

• In February 2019, the FATF decided to continue the grey listing of Pakistan for its non-compliance of international standards.
• This galvanised Pakistan into proscribing the JuD in March 2019, along with its affiliated groups.
• The government also announced taking over the assets of these groups and freezing their bank accounts.

Attempts made by other countries:

• There was little chance of Pakistan being blacklisted given that allies like China, Malaysia and Turkey would have vetoed such attempts, the plenary session of the FATF that was held from February 16-21 in Paris decided to retain Pakistan on the grey list.
• China and Saudi Arabia joined the majority to warn Pakistan to take steps required on 13 points out of the 27-point action plan of the FATF. If Pakistan does not do so, it could face blacklisting.

From India’s perspective:

• For India, what is important is that Saeed has been convicted for links with terrorist groups and raising funds for terrorism and not for his role in Mumbai 26/11.
• If, however, the conviction holds, and this is a big if, it would be an acknowledgment that Saeed was and is the LeT chief. This would give a boost to New Delhi’s assertions.
• It is precisely for this reason the conviction is likely to be overturned.

Way forward:

• The bottom line is that action against organisations like the JuD and terrorists like Saeed are tactical.
• The world has seen them for what they really are — motivated solely to insulate Pakistan.
• The world must watch the next steps on Hafiz Saeed to judge whether Pakistan has the resolve to make and sustain decisions to rid itself and its neighbours of the menace of terrorism.

  Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

  General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Prelims Questions:

Q1. With reference to the Phase II of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) [SBM (G)], consider the following statements:
1. It will be implemented from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
2. It will focus on Open Defecation Free Plus (ODF Plus), which includes ODF sustainability and Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: C
Mains Questions:
Q1. Is Hafiz Saeed’s sentencing a genuine blow to terror infrastructure in Pakistan? Critically comment.