Pakistan cracks down on UNSC-listed militant groups

ISLAMABAD, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistani government has launched a major crackdown against proscribed organizations operating in the country banned by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) by freezing bank accounts and assets, local reports said on Tuesday.

The reports quoted the country's Foreign Ministry as reporting that the government had issued an order to streamline the procedure for implementation of UNSC sanctions against designated individuals and entities.

"Over the years, the sanctions regime of the United Nations Security Council has evolved. A key measure of these sanctions regimes is assets freeze under which states are required to freeze or seize the assets of designated entities and individuals as soon as they are designated by the relevant UNSC Sanctions Committee," the ministry said in a statement late Monday.

After the statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Muhammad Faisal told local media that from now onwards, all kinds of assets and properties of all banned organizations will be in the government's control, adding that the government will now also seize the charity wings and ambulances of such banned outfits.

He said the government has taken control of all banned outfits operating in the country.