ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: The government would soon ban four more militant groups as “sufficient evidence” has been collected about their involvement in sectarianism and militancy.

A senior official of the interior ministry told Dawn here on Tuesday that the ministry had received a go-ahead signal from the higher authorities to move against these groups immediately following their banning, possibly within this month. These groups are Hizb-ul-Tahreer, Jamiat-ul-Ansar and Jamiat-ul-Furqan while the fourth was a welfare trust.

“Militant groups are not only creating problems within the country but are also straining Pakistan’s relations with China, Iran and Afghanistan,” he added.

The official said Pakistan had been receiving complaints from these countries that some Pakistan-based militant groups were instigating their citizens through literature and other means to turn against their governments.

He said these groups would not be allowed to relaunch their activities under new names. “We have been directed by the president and the prime minister to make sure that banned militant outfits do not resume their activities under any new cover,” the official said.

He said a decision had also been taken to keep an eye on those mosques which preached militancy and collected funds to finance their activities.

The official said for the first time in August 2001, seven groups were banned but they resumed their activities under new names. These groups with changed names were bringing a bad name to the country, he added.

He said the US government had also been expressing its concern over the activities of these banned groups.

Responding to a question, the official said Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iran had been asked by the Pakistan government to stop funding various groups in Pakistan. Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussain also used to extend funds to some groups in Pakistan before the invasion of his country by the US and allied forces, he claimed.

Asked about the inflow of weapons from neighbouring countries, he said, this issue was being addressed through the deployment of 100,000 troops on Pakistan’s western border along with the creation of 589 checkpoints.

The government, he said, knew that militant groups were receiving arms which were being sent from abroad. “Most of these arms were sent to Karachi and other parts of the country from the NWFP,” he said.