Pakistan govt takes control of Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur

Earlier during the day, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) slammed Pakistan for not doing enough to restrict terror funding and money laundering and refused to take the country out of the 'grey list' and put a timeline of May 2019 to make the required progress.

JeM chief Masood Azhar. FILE Photo: AFP

Islamabad: In a significant development, the Punjab government took control of Jaish-e-Mohammed’s (JeM) headquarters in Bahawalpur on Friday evening.  JeM, a terror group had claimed responsibility for the cowardly attack on Indian security forces in Pulwama on February 14. The dastardly suicide attack killed 40 soldiers of the CRPF. The government has taken control of a campus comprising Madressatul Sabir and Jama-e-Masjid Subhanallah in Bahawalpur, reportedly the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammad, and appointed an administrator to manage its affairs, a spokesperson of the country’s Interior Ministry was quoted by Pakistan media outlets. "The government of Punjab has taken over the control of a campus comprising Madressatul Sabir and Jama-e-Masjid Subhanallah  in Bahawalpur...and appointed an administrator to manage its affairs," news agency PTI later quoted Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry as saying. The huge development came a day after a crucial huddle of the National Security Committee (NSC) in Islamabad, in which it was decided that “efforts would be expedited to eliminate extremism from the society.” The move also is seen an effect of global outrage exerted by India over the terror act. Reports further stated that Punjab police has taken over security of the campus which houses 70 teachers and 600 students.

Control taken over Jaish-e-Mohanmed's Headquarters in Bahawalpur @abpnewstv @abpnewshindi https://t.co/tkdFyfvesj

— Ashish (ABP News) (@AshishSinghLIVE) February 22, 2019

Bahawalpur is 400 km from Lahore. A statement issued by the Interior Ministry also said the crackdown on Jaish "has been taken in line with the decision of the National Security Committee meeting held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Imran Khan". Earlier during the day, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)  slammed Pakistan for not doing enough to restrict terror funding and money laundering and  refused to take the country out of the 'grey list' and put a timeline of May 2019 to make the required progress. The UN Security Council comprising 15 permanent and non-permanent members on Thursday condemned in the "strongest terms" the "heinous and cowardly" terror attack orchestrated by the Pakistan-based terror group.

The Spokesman said that the action was taken in line with the decision of the National Security Committee meeting held yesterday under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

— Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) February 22, 2019

The Government of Punjab has taken over the control of a campus comprising Madressatul Sabir and Jama-e-Masjid Subhanallah in Bahawalpur: Spokesman of the Ministry of Interior

— Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) February 22, 2019

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