A day after a brother and son of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) leader Masood Azhar among dozens of others were taken into ‘protective custody’ for investigation, the government on Wednesday sealed or took over administrative control of scores of establishments run by the proscribed Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) as well.
New khateebs and imams were appointed by the Auqaf department to replace the existing ones at the mosques and madaris being previously run by the JuD and FIF.
Among the mosques and madaris taken over by the district administration in Islamabad are Masjid-i-Quba, Madni Masjid, Ali Asghar Masjid, Madressah Khalid Bin Waleed, and Madressah Ziaul Quran.
Additionally, a madressah, hospital, and two dispensaries located on the Chakrah and Adiala roads and run by the JuD were sealed by the district government of Rawalpindi.
The measures are being taken on the directives of the federal government in line with the provisions of the National Action Plan (NAP).
Reports said a list of all the establishments run by these proscribed outfits has been created and the respective district governments have been tasked to take action against those. The law enforcement agencies reportedly also took several people into custody during the clampdown.
Following suit, the Sindh government took over control of 56 facilities run by the JuD and FIF, including schools, hospitals and madaris in different districts of Sindh.
Advisor to Chief Minister for Information Barrister Murtaza Wahab Wednesday confirmed that the madaris and public welfare facilities being run by the proscribed outfits in Sindh province have been taken over by the provincial government. However, he clarified that the services at such schools, hospitals and madaris will continue for the general public under the administrative control of the government and that no person will be denied the services being provided through these institutions. He said the staff of such institutions will continue after due clearance and scrutiny as per standards and procedures of the provincial government.
Giving a break-up of the facilities, the advisor said 31 schools, 16 madaris and nine hospitals located in Sindh have been taken over by provincial government. He said 10 schools, nine madaris and five hospitals were located in the Karachi division; three schools and one hospital in Hyderabad district; two schools and one madressah in Matiari; one school in Jamshoro; three schools and one hospital in Mirpurkhas; four schools in Sanghar; one school in Tando Allahyar; three schools and one madressah in Badin; one school, two hospitals and one madressah in Tharparkar; one madressah in Noshehro Feroz; two schools and three madaris in Shaheed Benazirabad; and one school was located in Kambar Shahdadkot.
The adviser said committees have been constituted at the provincial, divisional and district levels to manage these facilities in the best interest of the common people. He said the provincial committee will be headed by secretary home department as chairman and Special Branch additional IG, special secretary education, special secretary health and chief administrator auqaf will be its members. The divisional committee for Karachi comprises of commissioner as its chairman, while police additional IG and divisional heads of education, health and auqaf departments as members. The advisor said these institutions will be run under the supervision of Sindh government and all the expenses will be borne by the provincial government. The Balochistan government also launched a crackdown against organisations declared proscribed by the federal government.
According to Quetta Deputy Commissioner Tahir Zafar Abbasi, all assets in Quetta belonging to JuD and FIF have been taken over. “These outfits had four madaris, schools and dispensaries in the city which have all been taken over by the district administration,” he said.
The deputy commissioner revealed that the boards previously placed on the front facade of the buildings, with the names of the banned organisations prominently displayed, have been taken down and replaced with the district administration’s signage. He said the four ambulances seized during the operation have been handed over to Civil Hospital.
Reports said the Balochistan home department is also likely to take over madaris belonging to the banned organisations in Chaman, Pishin and Hub districts.
Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi Wednesday said the operation against proscribed organisations under NAP will continue till achievement of objectives.
Published in Daily Times, March 7th 2019.
