M A I N   N E W S

Pak freezes Lashkar assets

Islamabad, December 24
In line with American action, Islamabad today froze the assets and bank accounts of Pak-based terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) whose chief Hafiz Muhammed Sayeed quit the post announcing the winding up of the activities of the organisation in Pakistan.

The LeT will now be headed by Abdul Wahid, who is said to hail from Anantnag in Kashmir, and is now in Mecca.

Four days after US President George W. Bush took a similar action against the LeT and an outfit having links with the Al-Qaida, banks in Pakistan were ordered to freeze the accounts of Lashkar, which has been accused of involvement in the December 13 attack on Indian Parliament along with Jaish-e-Mohammad.

Pakistan Central Bank issued instructions to all banks to implement the decision against the LeT and the Ummah Tameer-e-Nau (UTN) linked to the Al-Qaida. 

“The LeT will continue its militant activities against the Indian Army in occupied Kashmir,” Sayeed told a news conference here. PTI

Not enough, says Nambiar

Islamabad, December 24
Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Vijay Nambiar today said the Pakistan Government’s decision to freeze the accounts of the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the announcement by Lashkar chief Hafeez Muhammad Sayeed to quit as its head did not meet India’s demand for a crackdown on the two outfits.

Reacting to the twin announcements, he told the media here, “It is not enough. We want the culprits to be brought to book.”

Mr Nambiar told BBC yesterday that “for the time being” India was not considering severing diplomatic ties with Pakistan.

Mr Nambiar, who has been recalled by the Indian Government as a mark of protest for Pakistan’s reluctance to crack down on the LeT and the Jaish-e-Mohammadwould leave for New Delhi towards the end of this week. PTI

Blair to visit India, Pak
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 24
British Prime Minister Tony Blair is may visit India and Pakistan in January, well-placed sources here said today. Mr Blair’s visit to the Indian subcontinent assumes significance in view of the military flare-up between the two hostile neighbours.