Banned Jamaatud Dawa back into business?

[LahoreEstate]

Banned Jamaatud Dawa back into business?

* Thousands carrying flags of banned outfit gather for rally in Lahore * Collect donations for Dawa-linked trust
* Tehrik-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir chosen as ‘temporary new name’

By Rana Tanveer

LAHORE: Thousands of supporters of the banned Jamaatud Dawa held a ‘Kashmir Solidarity Conference’ on The Mall on Thursday, despite a UN ban on the charity.

Participants arriving from various districts held black and white Dawa flags and shouted their usual slogans, but had gathered under a ‘temporary’ new name – Tehrik-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir (TAK).

The banned charity agreed on the name in a meeting of its divisional leaders from across the country at the Markazul Qadsia in Chauburji on Sunday, sources privy to the meeting told Daily Times.

A permanent new name has not been finalised as the group continues activism on various issues under various names, an operative said – for example, a movement to protest Israel’s attack on Gaza was named Tehrik-e-Qibla-e-Awwal.

Thursday’s rally was the first public gathering of supporters of the banned charity since the ban. A police contingent was deployed at the scene. Civil Lines SHO Taimoor Malik told Daily Times 10 reserve forces were deployed to ensure law and order in the city during the four-hour rally.

Operatives holding Dawa flags were deputed at various spots in the city to welcome supporters arriving from other districts and collect donations.

Receipts carried the name of the banned charity’s Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) trust, and the address: “Department of Revenue, Markazul Qadsia, Chauburji, Lahore”. Telephone numbers were also printed on the receipts.

“The FIF is a Jamaatud Dawa trust but it has not been banned,” a member told Daily Times.

Another FIF activist, who identified himself as Hamza, said the foundation was not linked to the banned charity and had been working for the independence of Kashmir for a long time. But he did not respond when asked why he was carrying a Dawa flag.

A spokesman for the banned organisation said most of the participants carried his outfit’s flags but the TAK was a joint forum of various political and religious parties. He asked not to be named.

According to a press statement by Dawa, not on an official letterhead and emailed to Daily Times, speakers in the conference included acting Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Abdulssalam Bin Muhammad, and Dawa Political Affairs head Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki.

Other speakers were TAK Chairman Hafiz Saifullah Mansoor, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Amjad Khan, Terhrik-e-Khaksar leader Hamidudin Mashraki and Muttahida Jamiat-e-Ahl-e-Hadis leader Naeem Badshal

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg7_2