Won’t give up: India on Jaish ultra’s listing

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, August 12

India on Friday brushed aside China’s explanation that it had placed on hold the listing of a notorious Pakistan-based JeM terrorist as it needed more time to assess the case.

Abdul Rauf Asghar had been proscribed under Indian and US laws and, therefore, placing the “technical hold” against such wanted terrorist was most uncalled for, said MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi. “India will continue pursuing its principled position of bringing these terrorists to justice, including through the UNSC 1267 sanctions,” he said.

Most dreaded

• JeM deputy chief Asghar was actively involved in hijacking of Indian Airlines IC-814 in 1998
• Wanted for attacks on Parliament (2001), Army camp in Kathua (2014), IAF base in Pathankot (2016)
• Barring China, all 14 UNSC members agreed to his listing

Barring China, all the other 14 UNSC members agreed to Asghar’s listing. In June too, China placed on hold a joint proposal by India and the US to list LeT deputy chief Abdul Rehman Makki.

The discord over Asghar is one among the several issues of contention that have cropped up between India and China in recent times amidst the stalemate at the LAC. The MEA also pushed back at insinuations over an Indian hand in Sri Lanka’s denial of docking facilities to a China research vessel.