Global terrorist

THE diplomatic persistence of India and the US has finally borne fruit as the United Nations has designated Abdul Rehman Makki, deputy chief of Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as a global terrorist. In a major climbdown, China lifted its ‘technical’ hold on a joint India-US proposal to blacklist Makki. Consequently, the UN Security Council’s 1267 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee added Makki, brother-in-law of LeT chief and 26/11 attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, to its list of designated terrorists. The listing, which will subject Makki to an asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo, is likely to impact LeT operations.

China, which has been shielding its close ally Pakistan over the years on the UN platform by blocking bids by India and other nations to blacklist Pak-based terrorists, found itself cornered over its ambiguous stand on terrorism. With 14 of the 15 members of the UN Security Council speaking with one voice against global terror, China had to drop the fig leaf of technicalities that had thinly concealed its brazen support for Pakistan, a notorious abettor of cross-border terrorism.

Justifying its move, China has stated that the ‘listing of terrorists is conducive to enhancing global counter-terrorism cooperation.’ However, Beijing’s contention that Islamabad is firmly combating terrorism is not substantiated by concrete evidence. Despite being off the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force, the international watchdog on terror financing and money laundering, Pakistan has not been doing enough to rein in terrorists operating from its soil. India has rightly stated that it will continue to press the international community to take credible, verifiable and irreversible action against terrorism. Sanctions imposed by the UNSC are expected to curb threats from terrorist organisations active in the region. It remains to be seen if Beijing will also back similar proposals, pending with the UN Committee, against four other Pakistan-based terrorists. If that happens, Pakistan will come under intense pressure to crack down on terrorism. 

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