Its business as usual for 'banned' JuD in Muridke despite Pak's tall claims

Muridke, Dec.26 (ANI): Despite claiming that it has come down heavily on terror outfits operating from its territory, Pakistan is still uncertain about how to tackle Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the terrorist outfit which India claims masterminded the Mumbai terror attacks.

The facts that the Lashkar leaders arrested in several parts of Pakistan are yet to appear in the court of law and the Muridke headquarters of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (Jud) is still operating like it did earlier, stands testimony to the claims of Pakistan government.

The Pakistan government is not sure what to do with groups like Jud, as they are very popular among common people of the country because of their relief and charity works.

Amidst rising international pressure, Pakistan announced a crackdown on the terror outfit JuD, by placing leaders under house arrest, shuttering dozens of offices nationwide and freezing the group's bank accounts. But the groups sprawling headquarter near Lahore continues to run for its purported 'charity work'.

"They may have thought we left everything and ran away to be safe, they may not know we have reopened," the Chicago Tribune quoted Abu Ehsan,as saying. Ehsan runs the Jamaat complex in Muridke.

Jud claims that they are not behind terror attacks on Mumbai, as they are a charity group and work for the needy people in the country.The UN declared Jamaat-ud-Dawa, already listed as a terrorist group by the U.S., a terrorist organization earlier this month.

Jamaat officials however, deny that they are related to Lashkar-e-Taiba, although the founder of both groups is the same man. The group has denied that the charity is being involved in any violence.

"We really believe that if we want to help humanity, God will make a way for us, we are a charity organization. We are serving humanity. Please let us do that, " Ehsan added.

Besides relief camps, Jamaat runs 160 schools, 50 Islamic boarding schools, 153 clinics and eight hospitals. (ANI)