Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi has been allowed to withdraw Rs 1.5 lakh per month from his frozen account by a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions committee. Being accused of involvement in attack carried out on 26/11/2008, Lakhvi’s assets and accounts had been frozen earlier.
Pakistan’s government requested the sanctions committee to consider a monthly payment for Lakhvi. It said that he should be allowed to withdraw Rs 50,000 per month for meeting his food related needs, Rs 45,000 for medicines, Rs 20,000 as lawyer’s fees, Rs 20,000 as public utility charges and Rs 15,000 for transportation charges.
This request stands approved by UNSC 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee. It said these were the “basic expenses” it has agreed to for withdrawal by Lakhvi on monthly basis. Under standing rules of the UNSC, such withdrawals are allowed unless all the 15 members unanimously object to them.
Lakhvi has been designated both by the US and UN as a terrorist and is out on bail these days. His arrest and subsequent time he had to spend in jail too was a clear sham as he had uninterrupted access to outside world. He has a unique distinction of having fathered a child when incarcerated in Adiala jail (Rawalpindi).
According to a UNSC official, the UN members usually allow such withdrawals unless these are considered disproportionately high. Hafiz Saeed, another UN and US designated terrorist, was also allowed withdrawal of “basic expenses” under the same provision in August 2016.
