UNSC sanctions monitoring team arrives in Pakistan: report

Islamabad: A UN Security Council team has arrived in Pakistan for an assessment of Islamabad’s compliance with the world body’s sanctions regime, amid mounting global pressure on the country to act against Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and entities linked to him. Though there was no official word about the arrival of the UN Security Council’s sanctions monitoring team, Geo News reported that it arrived late yesterday.

The visit of the United Nations Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee is taking place amid increasing pressure on Pakistan from the US and India with respect to the inadequate implementation of the sanctions on Saeed and entities linked to him.

However, Pakistani officials insist that the trip is a routine one. A media report had said that Pakistan will not allow the committee any direct access to Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) chief Saeed or his entities. Yesterday, a Pakistani court restrained the government from arresting Saeed till March 17.

The JuD chief, who was listed under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008, had moved the court seeking protection from arrest or action against JuD and Falah-i- Insaniat Foundation (FIF) ahead of the visit of the UN team.