The Sindh High Court (SHC) admitted Wednesday an appeal for regular hearing filed by a trustee of the Al-Rasheed Trust, challenging the governmentÂ’s decision to freeze its accounts and seal its offices. The decision was taken by a division bench of the Sindh High Court comprising Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Gulzar Ahmed.On Feb 18 this year, the government sealed all offices of the Al-Rasheed Trust across the country and froze its bank accounts following a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution that banned the trustÂ’s activities for its alleged links with Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations. The SHC directed the deputy attorney general to submit the UNSC resolution, so that the validity of the ban on the trust could be examined.
Counsel for the petitioner Asim Iqbal stated that the food and medicine in the trustÂ’s stock might go bad which is why he requested the court to allow them to be used. Representing the State, the DAG stated that as the relevant Interior Ministry officer was not present he wanted to seek an adjournment so that their comments could be submitted in the matter.
The SHCÂ’s division bench granted the DAGÂ’s request and adjourned the matter for April 18. Trustee Muhammad Sulman challenged the governmentÂ’s crackdown and decision to seal their 28 offices and sub-offices, including its head office in Karachi. He submitted that their activities were only limited to social, relief and welfare activities and it did not have links with any militant outfit.