New Delhi, Apr 03 : India today welcomed the US designating Pakistan-based Milli Muslim League (MML), an “alias of Lashkar-e-Taiba”, as a “foreign terror organization”, saying the decision reflects rejection of the attempts being made in Pakistan to “mainstream terrorist individuals and entities”.
Reacting to the US move, the External Affairs Ministry said the designation of the MML also shows Pakistan’s failure to dismantle “terror sanctuaries” in that country and vindicated India’s position that Islamabad has not taken effective action against terrorist groups and individuals.
“It is also cognisance of the fact that terrorist individuals and entities are allowed to change names and continue to operate freely from territory under Pakistan’s control,” the ministry said in a statement.
In a major setback to Hafiz Saeed’s political ambitions, the US today designated the MML, the political front of Pakistan-based Jamaat-ud Dawa, as a foreign “terrorist organization”. The MML is an alias of Lashkar-e-Taiba also, the US State Department said.
“India welcomes the action taken by the US for designating the Milli Muslim League as an alias of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan based terrorist group and its functionaries who are acting on behalf of LeT,” the MEA said.
The ministry said the designation of the MML is a rejection of the attempts being made in Pakistan to “mainstream terrorist individuals and entities and highlights Pakistan’s failure to fulfill its international obligation to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries, and disrupt terror financing.”
The US also added Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir (TAJK) to the list of terrorist groups. TAJK is said to be a “front of the LeT”, which according to the Trump administration, continues to operate freely inside Pakistan.
The move comes a day after the Election Commission of Pakistan asked the MML to produce a clearance certificate by the Interior ministry for its registration as a political party.
General elections are scheduled to be held in Pakistan in July.
Pakistan’s Election Commission had earlier rejected the MML’s application for registration as a political party after the Interior ministry objected to its ties to banned militant outfits.
President of the MML, Khalid is also the head of LeT’s Peshawar headquarters and served on the JuD’s Coordination Committee for Central Punjab Province. The JuD was designated by the Department of State as an “alias of the LeT” pursuant April 2016 and was added to the United Nations Sanctions list as an alias of the LeT in December 2008.
The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which is blamed for carrying out the Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, including six Americans. It was declared as an FTO by the US in June 2014.
‘US decision influenced by India’
LAHORE, Apr 03: The US State Department move identifying the Milli Muslim League (MML) and Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir (TAJK) as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) affiliates has left MML and TAJK leaders stunned.
MML leaders will come together at an emergency meeting today to analyse the situation, a party leader was quoted as saying by ‘Express News’. He said those present would discuss how to further party agenda and “facilitate Kashmiris in their struggle for freedom”. The MML leader said all decisions will be taken in accordance with the law.
The fact that the TAJK has also been listed as an LeT affiliate has left MML leaders particularly curious. The movement is not registered. It is just a small group of people striving for Kashmiris’ rights, he said.
Pakistan had proscribed the TAJK earlier, the MML leader said.
He said Jamaatud Dawa supremo Hafiz Saeed’s move to declare 2017 as the “year of Kashmir” had left India vexed. The MML leader blamed the United State-India nexus for the move.
Even the MML has not been registered as a political party, he said. The MML leader said the matter remained pending before the Election Commission of Pakistan. The hearing is scheduled for May 02.
“The US declared the MML, an LeT affiliate before our case was heard. This is representative of Indian machinations,” he said.
The MML leader said India had been using the US to further its anti-Pakistan agenda. He said the United Nations (UN) was expected to follow in their footsteps, if speculation was to be believed, making it impossible for the MML to register as a political party.
MML Information Secretary Tabish Qayyum told ‘The Express Tribune’ that the American move undermined Pakistan’s national sovereignty and constituted a “blatant violation” of human rights.
“The MML operates in accordance with the Constitution. The US has no right to interfere in internal Pakistani matters and label political forces and individuals terrorists,” he said.
Qayyum said the MML condemned violence in all its forms and wanted to make Pakistani society more tolerant and progressive. “Pakistani courts have accepted the fact that no MML office bearers had a criminal record.”
He also accused the US of running a campaign of misinformation and propaganda.
