RAWALPINDI:Individuals registered with the police under the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 used to face restrictions on their out-of-town movements.

But lately, many also find that their bank accounts have been blocked. Most affected by the State Bank of Pakistan`s blocking of accounts are government servants on the police watch list.

They shuttle between the offices of the city police officer and the district coordination of ficer with pleas to unblock their accounts so that they can draw their monthly salary for their family`s sustenance as their salaries get credited to their bank accounts directly.

Despite the freezing of their accounts, the government servants continue to be on duty. Even those serving in so-called sensitive places have not been stopped from reporting to duty.

Others have been serving in government schools, Wapda, a Health Centre and Tehsil Municipal Administration Attock.

A police of ficial told Dawn that the fourth schedulers had been approaching concerned authorities to unblock their bank accounts frozen on September 25, 2016, on a directive from the State Bank of Pakistan.

A list of more than 2,000 individuals, mostly officebearers of sectarian groups and leaders, with their names and CNIC numbers, accompanied the directive sent to all banks, finance institutions and microfinance banks. The move was aimed at clamping down on terrorism financing.