44 arrested as Pakistan cracks down on UNSC-listed militant groups

ISLAMABAD, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani law enforcement agencies have arrested 44 members of proscribed organizations operating in the country banned by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, the minister said the government launched a major crackdown against proscribed organizations on Monday and it would continue for two weeks.

The minister said the action was Pakistan's own decision and it was not taken with any outside pressure and advice.

"Pakistan's policy is very clear against terrorism and extremism. Pakistan will not allow anybody to use its land for any ill purposes," said the minister.

The campaign was approved during a high-level meeting held in the Ministry of Interior this month, which was attended by all representatives of all provincial governments, a statement by the ministry said.

Earlier Tuesday, local reports quoted the country's Foreign Ministry as saying 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.

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."

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