[Dawn] The US Treasury hit a "key" commander in the powerful Haqqani network with sanctions Thursday, raising pressure on Pakistain to do more against the Al-Qaeda and Taliban-linked group.The Treasury said Abdul Aziz Abbasin, an Afghan native, was appointed by the Haqqani network as "the Taliban shadow governor" in Orgun district of Afghanistan.
There he is said to command a group of Taliban fighters and has helped run a myrmidon training camp.
Four other figures with links to Taliban and Al-Qaeda activities in Afghanistan and Pakistain were named in the sanctions, which aim at putting pressure on financial links to the groups.
Treasury listed Afghanistan natives Hajji Faizullah Khan Noorzai and Hajji Malik Noorzai as Taliban financiers who helped the myrmidon group invest money in various businesses.
It also named Pakistain national Abdur Rehman, who operates a religious school in Bloody Karachi, as aiding the Taliban and Al-Qaeda logistically and financially.
The fifth person named was Fazal Rahim, called a financial controller for Al-Qaeda and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.
It said Rahim had helped the IMU send imported muscle to Pakistain for training.
"These financiers and controllers provide the fuel for the Taliban, Haqqani Network and Al-Qaeda to realize their violent aspirations," Treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence David Cohen said in a statement.