UN Security Council adds Masood Azhar to sanctions’ list, China says will firmly support Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorist and extremist forces
By IAR DeskMove comes as a huge diplomatic win for India
Earlier today the 1267 Committee of the UN Security Council approved the proposal to add Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar to the ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions List.
The UN Security Council issued a statement saying the Security Council ISIL (Da’eash) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al‑Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities approved the addition of the entry of Mohammed Masood Azhar, “subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1 of Security Council resolution 2368 (2017), and adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.”
This comes as a huge diplomatic victory for India which has been urging the council to list Masood Azhar as a global terrorist since 2009. A technical hold which deterred the listing had always been put by China.
India’s Ambassador to the UN Mr. Syed Akbaruddin confirmed the move, saying, “This is for us a significant outcome because we have been at it for several years. The first effort that we made in this regard was in 2009. More recently we have been persistent, diligent, and in a subterranean manner making all our efforts towards this goal. Today that goal stands achieved. I am grateful to many many countries who were supportive of this effort. Tge designating states, that is, the US, UK and France. also several others within the council and outside the council who came forward without any restraints and supported this Indian effort at not tolerating a terrorist.”
The move comes soon after the visit of the Indian Foreign Secretary Mr. Vijay Gokhale to Beijing on April 22, for regular diplomatic consultations between India and China, with Executive Vice Foreign Minister of China, Mr. Le Yucheng and Vice Foreign Minister Mr. Kong Xuanyou, in which both sides exchanged views on regional and international issues. It is widely believed that during his visit the Foreign Secretary had also discussed the listing of Masood Azhar on the UN sanctions’ list and China’s objections to it. While none of the other UN Security COuncil members had any objections – US, UK and France have been designating countries- Beijing had till now prevented Masood Azhar’s listing as a global terrorist by the UN. The most recent attempt had been in March this year.
Responding to the news of Azhar’s listing India’s Ministry of External Affairs said “The 1267 Sanctions Committee’s decision to designate the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammad, Masood Azhar, as a UN proscribed terrorist is a step in the right direction to demonstrate the international community’s resolve to fight against terrorism and its enablers. We welcome the decision. This is in accordance with India’s position and in line with the information that India has shared with the members of the Sanctions Committee regarding terrorist activities of Masood Azhar and the Jaish-e-Mohammad. India will continue with its efforts through international forums to ensure that terrorist organizations and their leaders who cause harm to our citizens are brought to justice.”
Azhar had been freed from Indian prison in 2000 in lieu of passengers from an Indian Airlines place which had been hijacked by Pakistan based terrorists from Kathmandu airport to Kandahar when the Taliban regime ruled in Kabul. He had been arrested for his activities as part of the terrorist group Harkat al Ansar in Jammu and Kashmir. The Hindu had earlier reported that ‘A 1998 report by the U.S.’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) said, “HuA, an Islamic extremist organisation that Pakistan supports in its proxy war against Indian forces in Kashmir, increasingly is using terrorist tactics against Westerners and random attacks on civilians that could involve Westerners to promote its pan-Islamic agenda.”’. After his release he has been living in Pakistan, where he floated the outfit Jaish-e-Mohamed, said to be with the aid of Pakistan’s intelligence service the Inter Services Intelligence, India holds him guilty for plotting and abetting the 2001 terror attack on the Indian parliament, the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, the 2016 Pathankot attacks on an Indian air base, and the more recent terror attacks in Pulwama, in Indian Kashmir in which 44 Indian para-military personnel lost their lives.
Responding to the news of Azhar’s listing the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said ‘China always believes that the relevant work should be carried out in an objective, unbiased and professional manner and based on solid evidence and consensus among all parties. On this listing issue, China has been communicating with relevant parties in a constructive and responsible fashion. Recently, relevant countries revised and re-submitted the materials for the listing proposal to the 1267 Committee. After careful study of the revised materials and taking into consideration the opinions of relevant parties concerned, China does not have objection to the listing proposal. The proper settlement of the above-mentioned issue again shows that in international counter-terrorism cooperation, we have to uphold the rules and procedures of relevant UN body, follow the principle of mutual respect, resolve differences and build consensus through dialogue, and prevent politicizing technical issues. China always believes that the relevant work should be carried out in an objective, unbiased and professional manner and based on solid evidence and consensus among all parties.
He further added, “I would like to stress that Pakistan has made enormous contributions to fighting terrorism, which deserves the full recognition of the international community. China will continue to firmly support Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorist and extremist forces.” in an obvious gesture to not be seen as letting down its all weather friend Pakistan.
The 2017 BRICS declaration adopted in the Chinese city of Xiamen had for the first time named Jaish-e-Mohammed and two other Pakistan based groups – the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Haqqani network – as terrorist groups.
While some analysts opine that nothing major would change for Masood Azhar, this move itself is an important step in international counter-terrorism cooperation and effort, with serious restrictions on his movements outside of Pakistan and in the movement of international funds for his organisation. The UN’s decision will also put the spotlight on Pakistan for its approach to Azhar from now on. The country is already on the ‘grey list’ of the UN’s Financial Action Task Force, which will be meeting later this month. Moreover, Pakistan is also undergoing an economic crisis, with the IMF holding back loans and the US cutting off major financial aid to the country for abetting terror activities in Afghanistan.
The recent Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka have also underscored the urgency for joining efforts and doubling down on global counter-terrorism cooperation.
This move will help to shore up the image of the ruling BJP party in India which has made the fight with terrorism as a central plank of its election campaign, and will be seen as a triumph for Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is seen as being tough on terror.
