LAHORE: Police have confiscated 1,200 illegal charity boxes placed at shops and public places by banned organisations in parts of the province.

They also arrested 72 people and lodged 63 first information reports (FIRs), said a Punjab police spokesperson.

The crackdown was launched at the start of Ramazan in districts and police stations were directed to seize boxes and arrest the activists of banned organisations operating the boxes.

All those persons who had no legal authority to collect the charity from the public were also being arrested.

The spokesman said due to effective police action, on the information of Special Branch and other agencies, transfer of funds to illegal and banned organisations had been blocked and their financial network was broken.

Police would continue crackdown on the illegal funds collection in the name of charity, to block funding to the militant organisations and terrorists, he added.

Up to 19 FIRs were lodged in Sahiwal and 18 Multan under Society Registration Act 1860, Trust Act 1882, Companies Act 1984 and Charitable Funding Act 1953, the spokesman said.

Crime Investigation Agency SP Umar Virk told APP that the crackdown was still in progress and action was being initiated on the information by the public and government agencies.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2015

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