Punjab's Stand Against Terror: Crackdown on Banned Groups

The Punjab government has released a list of over 80 banned organizations, urging citizens not to donate to them during Ramadan and Eid. Under the Anti-Terrorism Act, assisting these groups is a crime. Citizens are advised to donate only to registered charities.

The Punjab province of Pakistan has taken significant steps to curb terrorist funding by releasing a list of more than 80 banned organizations, including those led by alleged Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed. The government has urged the public to refrain from donating to these groups during Ramadan and Eid festivals.

According to the notification issued by the provincial government, aiding these banned organizations constitutes a criminal act under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997. The province's administration stresses that supporting such groups, which are involved in terrorist and anti-state actions, will attract legal consequences.

Prominent among these blacklisted groups are Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Citizens are advised to direct their charitable contributions, such as zakat, to organizations registered with the Punjab Charity Commission to ensure funds reach legitimate beneficiaries rather than being diverted to terrorist activities.

(With inputs from agencies.)