Banned Terror Group JeM Spotted Openly Collecting Funds In Pakistan’s Peshawar

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a Pakistani terrorist organization that has been sanctioned by the UN, has reportedly been spotted openly collecting funds in Peshawar.

“The open fundraising by the banned terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Peshawar, Pakistan, has raised concerns about the resurgence of extremist groups in the country. The group, responsible for several terrorist attacks,” tweeted Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, exiled leader & founder of the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP).

After the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) relaxed its sanctions last year, JeM resurfaced. They have publicly received the support of Pakistani security officers. The global terror-funding watchdog FATF confirmed Pakistan’s removal from the grey list in October 2022, claiming that the government has mostly completed its action plans on anti-money laundering and terrorism financing. Since June 2018, Pakistan has been on the FATF’s grey list.

Collection of funds in public

Jaish Fund collection is visible throughout Pakistan, including Punjab, Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, and other locations. Hundreds of Twitter users who witnessed the incident were spotted debating it on the social media network. After the tweets got viral, one of them discontinued his account.

Asif Afridi, a Twitter user, recalled his experience during Eid prayers in Peshawar, where he saw members of the banned organisation brazenly collecting donations in the midst of security personnel.

“Members of a banned outfit were collecting money openly in Peshawar in the presence of security personnel. My father, my brothers, and I (six members in total) were there to pray the Eid prayer,” he said.

Ehsanullah Khan Jadoon, another Twitter user, voiced his disappointment and stated that such fundraising has become common in Pakistan. “It is very normal for someone to stand up after prayers and openly ask for funds to fight Jihad in Palestine and Kashmir,” he explained. “Was a frequent sight at our mosque in Karachi”.

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The ease with which these organizations can openly gather cash raises questions about the government’s ability to combat terrorist activity.

It’s been 14 years since Pakistan-backed terrorists attacked Mumbai. The evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in the three-day slaughter in Mumbai was clear for all to see. Over the past 14 years, however, Pakistan has chosen to neglect India’s requests to bring the perpetrators of the act to justice.

The global money laundering and terrorism financing watchdog should maintain its pressure on the government, even if it is only taking symbolic steps to combat terror financing.

Pakistan had to go through a lengthy review procedure to be removed from the list. In June 2018, the country was added to the FATF’s “grey list” at its plenary conference in Paris.

Pakistan’s name was added to the list for the third time. Previously, Pakistan was on the FATF’s grey list from 2008 to 2010, and again from 2012 to 2015. Its name was removed off the list in February 2015.

Islamabad may deny that it is systemically supporting terrorists, but it uses systemic loopholes to support terrorists who not only engage in terrorism within Pakistan but also expand their terror activities in other countries, such as India, as the Mumbai attacks in 2008, Pathankot and Uri attacks in 2016, and Pulwama in 2019, according to SSRI.

No coordinated action had ever been taken against individuals who were involved in and sponsored the Mumbai terror attacks, including as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commanders Hafiz Saeed, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and Sajid Mir.

In the instance of the LeT’s leader, Hafiz Saeed, no action was taken, maybe due to the country’s sympathy for Hafiz.

After being accused of involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks, Hafiz convened a sit-in in Islamabad in September 2013, using threatening language against India, despite the fact that the US had already set a USD 10 million reward for information leading to his capture.