NEW YORK: The United States did not object to allowing Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed to withdraw some money from his frozen accounts because it is legal to do so, says a senior US official.
Last month, the UN Security Council sanctions committee (UNSC) allowed Pakistan to allow the JuD leader to use his bank account for personal expenses. The decision was made public earlier this week.
Read: the UN committee allows Hafiz Saeed to draw Rs150,000
At a press conference on Friday afternoon in New York, Acting Assistant Secretary of State Alice G. Wells said the permit was legal.
“This is really a positive step. Countries must fulfill the obligations of the listings that, for any person designated by the UN, you consider any flow of money allowed, such as Hafiz Saeed's family expenses, "said Ms. Wells when asked about What the United States did not oppose Hafiz Saeed Request to get around Rs150,000 a month to cover their expenses.
"So, having these presentations indicates a level of transparency and meeting a key requirement of the FATF" [Financial Action Task Force]. So, we welcome this step, ”he added.
India had strongly criticized the UN decision when it was announced this week, blaming Pakistan for allowing a UN-designated terrorist to withdraw money from a banned account.
Saeed is not only a global terrorist appointed by the UN, but the US Department of the Treasury. UU. He was also declared by a specially designated global terrorist and since 2012 he has offered a $ 10 million reward for his arrest.
Two other people who also sought and obtained similar concessions from the committee are Haji Mohammed Ashraf and Zafar Iqbal.
Pakistan froze Saeed bank accounts in compliance with a UNSC resolution seeking such a ban.
UNSC Resolution 1452 allows exemptions for globally designated terrorists to access their "frozen" bank accounts to cover basic expenses.
Posted on Dawn, September 29, 2019
Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1507932/allowing-hafiz-saeed-to-access-frozen-accounts-legal-says-us