CTD’s anti-terror finance unit gearing up to bring culprits to justice

The Anti-Terrorism Financial Unit (ATFU) of Sindh’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) is working in full swing, with the detection of more than 147 cases related to financial crimes, while it is also gearing up to bring those involved in the menace of financial terrorism to justice.

A few days ago, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with support from the European Union, and in collaboration with the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), had handed over varied essential equipment to revamp the ATFU within the CTD of the Sindh police during a ceremony held in Karachi in the presence of members from the international community.

The equipment was delivered under the framework of Pakistan’s Action to Counter Terrorism (PACT) project. Since last year, the UNODC and Nacta together have organised 10 specialised workshops on countering the financing of terrorism to enhance the knowledge and skills of investigators and prosecutors in Sindh, and approximately 300 officials have been trained so far under the PACT project.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Omar Shahid Hamid, chief of the CTD, appreciated the UNODC and the EU’s efforts, and extended his gratitude on behalf of Sindh police chief Mushtaq Ahmad Mahar for their generous contribution for supporting in making the ATFU functional.

DIG Hamid said: “The PACT initiative has and continues to bridge critical gaps to strengthen the capacity of front-line investigators by enhancing their counterterrorism capabilities. We are pleased to see that the initiative has adapted to our provincial needs and strategies, and complements our efforts towards reaching our common goals.”

Talking to The News, he said that they had been making investigations into terror financing, and several people had been arrested for their involvement in financing terrorism in the country.

However, he added, after the amendment in the laws of the Anti-Terrorism Act, the powers to investigate terror financing had been increased, but apart from that, they had to further enhance the working capability of the personnel who were to be deployed to the Unit, as the officials posted in the CTD had never done investigations on such a pattern, as also discussed in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and terror financing meetings.

Moreover, he continued, major investigations on terror financing or money laundering were earlier done at the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) and other investigating agencies of Pakistan.

Replying to a query, DIG Hamid said that basically, money laundering has a broader definition, which is handled by the FIA, and as compared to terror financing, it is a different subject, which includes the using of finance in terrorism, the training of militants by using funds for their transportation or other means, the forceful collection of money and others.

He added that they have also started training sessions for the officials deployed at the ATFU of the CTD Sindh so that they are aware of what they have to investigate and whom they have to arrest.

Apart from that, he has also requested the authorities to attach a prosecutor general so that the working of the cases related to terror financing and other cases related to terrorism move on an upward trajectory at a rapid pace.

The CTD chief said that they are activating the Unit along modern lines of investigations, as done by the FIA, so that before they trap or arrest a person under suspicion, they do their homework by first conducting a through enquiry, and if the person accused or under suspicion is found guilty of financing terror, action is taken and the person caught for their sins.

Moreover, he added, they have 10 well-trained inspectors, of whom he has deployed seven at the ATFU and who have also completed their training on the same subject. Responding to another question, DIG Hamid said that the people who are on their Fourth Schedule list are already on their radar, and their bank accounts, CNICs have been blocked.

However, he added, if they want to draw money or travel, they have to intimate the CTD or the Sindh Home Department for permission. Moreover, he continued, for withdrawing money from their accounts, they have to submit an application to the home department, upon which the department will allow a prescribed amount of money to be withdrawn.

He explained that a person on the Fourth Schedule is allowed to withdraw Rs100,000, and if the amount exceeds that limit, the FMU immediately gets an alert and responds immediately by informing the CTD so that action is taken.

DIG Hamid said that the FMU also keeps an eye on the monetary transactions between accounts, and if they find any suspicious transactions, they alert the CTD to investigate. Moreover, he added, they have so far registered 147 cases, including those related to the FATF. In the near future, much better results will be seen, including capacity building, concluded the CTD chief.