�Terror Financing�
Pak diplomat withdrawn
STAFF REPORTER
Pakistan has withdrawn a female diplomat from its high commission following allegations of financing militant activities in Bangladesh.
Farina Arshad, second secretary at the Pakistan high commission, yesterday left Dhaka for Islamabad by a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 1:35pm, confirmed the officer-in-charge of immigration police at the airport. Some ministers and ruling party leaders alleged that the Pakistani diplomat was connected with financing militant groups, such as Jamaatul Majahideen Bangladesh (JMB), in Bangladesh.
Their allegations were based on the confessional statements made by certain suspected Pakistani militants before the Detective Branch and court. Farina went back home after being withdrawn from Dhaka as the Pakistan foreign ministry took steps on the basis of the charges made against her.
The Detective Branch of police recently claimed to have found evidence of Farinas terror links during the interrogation of several arrested JMB members. Idris Sheikh, a JMB member, mentioned Farinas name in his confessional statement before a Dhaka court. Idris, who was involved in political activities in Pakistan, said in his statement that he had been in touch with the female diplomat and had received Tk. 30,000 from her.
Media outlets ran the story, highlighting Farinas involvement in financing militant activities, following the confessional statements of Idris.
But the Pakistan high commission issued a rejoinder two days later and claimed that the reports were baseless. It also issued a rejoinder against the news published in different media outlets, claiming that the reports were based on the imagination of the police.
On Jan 31, Mazhar Khan, another Pakistani diplomat, was expelled for allegedly running an illegal Indian currency business and maintaining links with militant groups in Bangladesh.
