UNSC allows Hafiz Saeed access to bank account

NEW YORK: The UN Security Council (UNSC) has allowed Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and alleged 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed access to his bank account, which had been frozen because of the world body’s sanctions, after Pakistan made a plea on his behalf, Khaleej Times reported.

Saeed’s assets had been frozen after the UNSC sanctioned him under Resolution 1267 for links with the al-Qaeda and Daesh.In a decision taken on August 15, the UN Sanctions Committee said it had received a letter from Pakistan seeking permission to allow Saeed “certain expenditure” from his frozen bank account.

The Chair said “no objection” had been received from any member till 3pm on that day and hence Pakistan’s request was approved.Pakistan, in its plea, said that it had received “an application from a Pakistani citizen” Hafiz Muhammad Saeed requesting that he be allowed access to the frozen funds in his bank account to the tune of Rs0.15 million “you cover necessary basic living expenses for himself and his family”.

Pakistan’s letter said the bank account had Saeed’s pension on account of his serving as a professor for 25 years in University of Engineering and Technology, from where he retired in 1999. He will be able to access Rs70,000 for food and Rs25,000 each for medicines and public utilities.

Meanwhile,in response to the media query regarding basic household expenditure exemption granted by the United Nations Security Council to Hafiz Saeed and other designated individuals, the spokesperson responded that such an exemption was in line with the established procedures and practices of the UNSC Sanctions Committee.

Hafiz Saeed and others had submitted an exemption request for basic expenditure to the UNSC. The request was later approved by the Council as a matter of routine. The spokesperson expressed disappointment that a certain section of the Indian media was unnecessarily politicising this issue to cast negative aspersions on Pakistan’s efforts to implement its obligations under the UN sanctions regimes.