Pakistan releases statement about Dawood Ibrahim; lies after admitting to his 3 safehouses

A day after admitting that it has sheltered India's most-wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, Pakistan on Sunday backtracked from its stance and said that media reports are 'baseless and misleading. Issuing a statement, Pakistan's foreign ministry rejected that Dawood is in ir country, despite mentioning his three Karachi addresses in UNSC's list released on August 18. In an attempt to escape from FATF blacklisting, Imran Khan's country admitted Dawood's presence; underworld don was responsible for 1993 Mumbai serial blasts in which 257 people were killed and 700 injured. 

Contradicting its own admission, Pakistan's foreign ministry said that information in tifications of August 18 is "reproduced as per details in list entry of individuals/entities designated under two sanctions regime, which is publically available, and contains names of individuals, who despite ir confirmed deceased status still continue to be on sanctions list."

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Pakistan's Foreign Ministry statement blatantly stated: reports in certain sections of media about Pakistan imposing any new sanctions measures, through se tifications, are t factual. Similarly, assertions made by some sections of Indian media, as to Pakistan admitting to presence of certain listed individuals on its territory, based on information contained in tifications, is baseless and misleading."

It added: " Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued two consolidated tifications on August 18, reflecting current status of UN Taliban and ISIL(Da'esh) and AQ Sanctions list. se lists contain names of individuals and entities designated under two sanction regimes established pursuant to UN Security Council resolutions. consolidated tifications are issued periodically as a routine matter. Similar tifications have been issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs in past as per statutory requirements and to meet our international obligations. Last such tifications were issued in 2019."

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Pakistan admits Dawood in Karachi

As Pakistan imposed sanctions on 88 terrorists complying to new UNSC's list, in order issued by Pakistan government - dated 18 August - finally admitted to sheltering gangster Dawood Ibrahim, revealing his Karachi address. order revealed Dawood's three Karachi-based addresses including his residence named 'White House'. Apart from Dawood, Pakistan has listed Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar, ordering seizure of all of ir properties and freezing of bank accounts.

Previously in July, bank accounts of 26/11 mastermind - Hafeez Saeed who has been lodged in Kot Lakhpat jail for terror financing was restored. Ahead of FATF plenary meet, on February 12, Saeed was convicted under ATA Section 11-F (2) and 11-N. On or hand,  Pakistan allegedly 'lost'  Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar - mastermind of 2019 Pulwama terror attack - and his family. 

Pakistan also issued sweeping financial sanctions against Afghanistan’s Taliban, just as group is in midst of U.S.-led peace process. orders, identified dozens of individuals, including Taliban’s chief peace negotiator Abdul Ghani Baradar and several members of Haqqani family, including Sirajuddin, current head of Haqqani network and deputy head of Taliban. list of sanctioned groups included ors besides Taliban and was in keeping with a five-year-old United Nations resolution sanctioning Afghan group and freezing ir assets.

READ | Pakistan reveals Dawood Ibrahim's Karachi home 'White House'; 88 terrorists sanctioned

Pakistan wants to avoid FATF blacklisting

orders were issued as part of Pakistan's efforts to avoid being blacklisted by Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which monitors money laundering and tracks terrorist groups' activities. Last year Paris-based group put Islamabad on a grey list. Until w only Iran and rth Korea are blacklisted, which severely restricts a country's international borrowing capabilities. Pakistan is trying to get off grey list. 

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