KARACHI, Feb 20: The government’s decision to shut down offices and freeze the funds of Al Rashid Trust and Al Akhtar Trust, allegedly at the behest of foreign powers. This would be challenged in court they said.

This was stated by a group of religious scholars at a news conference held in Karachi Press Club on Tuesday. They called upon the government to immediately lift the ban and urged the courts to take suo motu notice of the crisis situation that had allegedly been created by the government’s action to please the Americans.

They also expressed surprise over the remarks of Foreign Office spokesperson that the two trusts could take up their case with the UN, because the ban had been imposed in compliance with the UN Security Council’s decision.

They described it shocking because the government had acknowledged their humanitarian activity. They regretted that on persuasion of foreign organisations, Pakistani entities were being targetted.