THE UN Security Council panel's move against the Jamaatud Dawa and four of its leaders has put the onus on Pakistan to act against militant groups.

Technically the sanctions imposed on the Jamaatud Dawa and its leaders do not amount to much (they include an asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo); however, their net effect will be to put immense international pressure on Pakistan to shut down the group's operations and arrest and prosecute its leaders.

We have been here before. Following the attack on the Indian parliament in December 2001, the international community led by the US and India pressured Pakistan to act against militants.

On Jan 12, 2002 Gen Musharraf responded by banning five groups the Jaish-i-Mohammad, Lashkar-i-Taiba, Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, Tehrik-i-Jaferia Pakistan and Tanzim Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Mohammadi. A sixth group, the Sunni Tehrik, was put on a watch list.

In an address to the nation Gen Musharraf warned, 'No party in future will be allowed to be identified with words like Jaish, Lashkar or Sipah.' Time proved the general wrong. As the Lashkar faded from the limelight, a sister organisation, the Jamaatud Dawa, stepped into the breach.

The October 2005 earthquake in northern Pakistan was a watershed for the group; its volunteers rushed in to provide medical aid and relief to victims, outperforming a lumbering state. In the earthquake's aftermath

Gen Musharraf's government shrugged off criticism that groups it had banned were operating with the state's consent in Kashmir.

This time there must be no repeat of those half-hearted measures against militants. If Hafiz Saeed and his men are involved in the Mumbai attacks, they must be arrested and prosecuted. The Lashkar and its offshoots must be shut down — as must other groups that preach mayhem.

Unfortunately, mixed signals continue to emanate from Islamabad. Admittedly the government has unambiguously come out against terrorism. The raid on a Jamaatud Dawa complex near Muzaffarabad and the detention of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, one of the four targeted by the UN sanctions, indicate some cautious steps are being taken against militants.

However, Hafiz Saeed, the chief of the Lashkar, has been defending himself and his group on news channels, demonstrating an unexpected degree of freedom for someone who has essentially been declared a terrorist by the UN.

Reading the tea leaves to discern Islamabad's intentions is a difficult exercise at the best of times. However, a pragmatic approach by the international community, especially India and the US, can help nudge Pakistan to stamp out terrorism.

Two issues stand out Kashmir and India's growing interest in Afghanistan. Reassure Pakistan that its interests will be protected in these two areas and work towards easing tensions there, and Pakistan may be in a much better position to at least squelch terrorism on its soil.