US, Saudi Arabia Sanction Pakistani Charity Al-Furqan

The United States and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday sanctioned a Pakistani charity for allegedly financing violent extremist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan under the guise of humanitarian work.

The sanctions target the Al-Furqan Foundation Welfare Trust, which the U.S. Treasury said had changed its name to avoid prior U.S. sanctions.

“We are committed to exposing terrorist financiers, especially those who masquerade as charities,” Adam Szubin, Treasury’s acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement.

The Treasury said its sanctions would shut Al-Furqan out of the U.S. financial sector and prohibit Americans from doing business with the organisation. Saudi Arabia also designated Al-Furqan under an anti-terrorism law, the Treasury said.