Government issues order to seize assets of all banned outfits under UN sanctions regime

Mon, March 04, 2019

The federal government on Monday issued an order to streamline the process for implementation of sanctions against individuals and entities designated by the United Nations Security Council, the Foreign Office announced.

The United Nations Security Council (Freezing and Seizure) Order, 2019, has been issued in accordance with the provisions of Pakistan’s United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Act, 1948.

Interpreting the order, FO Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said it means that the government has taken over the control of all banned outfits operating in the country.

"[From now onwards], all kinds of assets and properties of all [banned] organisations will be in the government's control," the spokesperson told DawnNewsTV.

He added that the government will now also seize the charity wings and ambulances of such banned outfits.

"The objective of the [order] is to streamline the procedure for implementation of Security Council Sanctions against designated individuals and entities," the FO spokesperson said in a statement.

The handout explained that the UN Charter authorises the UNSC to decide measures, "not involving the use of armed force", that governments should implement to give effect to the council's decisions for the maintenance of international peace and security.

In Pakistan, such decisions of the UNSC are implemented through the UNSC Act, 1948.

A key measure of the UNSC sanctions regime against suspected terrorist individuals or entities is the "assets freeze" action under 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 FO said.

It said the government has formulated the UNSC (Freezing and Seizure) Order, 2019 in line with the standards of the UNSC and Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

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