JeM chief Masood Azhar's brother, son among 44 detained

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Tuesday took as many as 44 members affiliated with proscribed organisations, including Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar's brother, Mufti Abdul Rauf, and son, Hammad Azhar, into "preventive detention" under the National Action Plan.

A statement from the ministry of Interior said the decision was made at a high-level meeting on Monday.

"It was decided to speed up action against all proscribed organisations. In compliance, 44 under-observation members of proscribed organisations, including Mufti Abdul Raoof and Hamad Azhar, have been taken in preventive detention for investigation," it said.

"These actions will continue, as per the decisions taken in National Security Committee [meeting] while reviewing National Action Plan."

Speaking at a press conference, State Minister for Interior Shehryar Afridi said the action was taken without any foreign pressure and the government is taking indiscriminate action against banned outfits.

“We won’t let anyone use Pakistani soil against anyone so that no force can intervene in Pakistan’s domestic issues. We are taking the action under our responsibility,” he said.

Secretary Interior, on the occasion, said the government will take strict action against proscribed organisations.

“In the first phase of our action we have taken 44 people into protective custody,” he said.

The interior secretary said that Mufti Abdul Rauf and Hammad Azhar were named in the Indian dossiers sent to Pakistan aftermath Pulwama attack but added that the Indian dossiers lack concrete evidence against any member.

He said that the Pakistani government has demanded evidence against the said individuals through the Foreign Office, action will be taken against the members if evidence is found during the investigations.

“In case we don’t find any evidence against them we will release them,” said the secretary.