An exploratory study of terrorism financing in Pakistan

Ahmed, Maqsood (2022) An exploratory study of terrorism financing in Pakistan. Doctoral thesis, Northumbria University.

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Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to discover significant determinants that influence the current antiterrorism policy in Pakistan by understanding the relationship between terrorism financing, stakeholder‟ activities, and public policy. Several measures have been taken by Pakistan over the years to control the financing of terrorism. Various modifications and new systems have been adopted by successive governments to deal effectively with the ever growing threat of terrorism. This thesis highlights essential areas within the domain of terrorism financing, including barriers in the framing of effective counter terrorism policies and the problems and issues in the implementation of existing counter-terrorism laws in Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach: This research adopts a constructivist approach. Twenty interviews were conducted with professionals at different level working in various departments and dealing with counter-terrorism in various positions in the police, judiciary, prosecution, and intelligence, counter-terrorism departments (CTDs) and technocrats selected for their practical knowledge and expertise as crime prevention experts. The respondents were asked to share their experiences and the details of existing effective laws on terrorism financing, barriers in their implementation, and hurdles in making effective laws and policies. Their responses were subjected to qualitative data analysis.

Findings: The interviews revealed the issues of terrorism financing through the financial service industries and different informal channels. The research outcomes indicate that compliance mechanisms aimed at preventing terrorism financing could be circumvented.

Practical implications: The identification of gaps in the current prevention mechanisms is meant to provide legislators, compliance officers, law enforcement agencies, and intelligence offices with insights into how criminals finance terrorism and operate within the current legislative and operational system.

Originality/Value: The existing literature focuses on simply naming areas that could play a part in the financing of terrorism, whereas this study covers the subject comprehensively, taking both prevention and criminal perspectives into account. The research addresses an onground practical approach to fight against terrorism and it‟s financing in a developing country, i.e. Pakistan, by adding the views and perspectives of the respondents who are currently serving at critical posts of law enforcement in Pakistan. Pakistan has been a hotbed of proxy wars and has paid a heavy price in terms of its economic progress and loss of human lives.

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