China's doublespeak and double standards against the world's shared battle against terrorism have been exposed by its actions at the United Nations Security Council, where Beijing stalled a joint proposal of the US and India to blacklist a Pakistan-based terrorist, Abdul Rauf Azhar, government sources said on Thursday.
Such politically motivated actions by China, in nearly every listing case of a Pakistan-based terrorist, undermine the entire sanctity of the working methods of the UNSC Sanctions Committees, the sources said.
Abdul Rauf Azhar, the brother of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)'s chief Masood Azhar was involved in the planning and execution of numerous terror attacks, including the hijacking of Indian Airlines aircraft IC814 (1999) in Afghanistan's Kandhar, the attack on the Indian Parliament (2001) and the attack on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot (2016).
The sources said that a proposal was moved by India and co-sponsored by the US, to list Abdul Rauf Asghar in the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee. The proposal was however, put on technical hold by China, a veto-wielding member of the 15-nation UN body.
This is, not the first time that China has obstructed the listing of terrorists in the 1267 Sanctions Committee. In June 2022, China placed a similar hold on a joint proposal by India and the US to place Abdul Rehman Makki, the deputy chief of the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), in the UNSC sanction list. Makki has been involved in raising funds, recruiting and radicalising youths to resort to violence and planning attacks in India, including the Mumbai terror attacks (2008).
According to sources, there is incontrovertible evidence for both these listing proposals. Both individuals have also been sanctioned by the US under its domestic legislation.
"It is unfortunate that the sanctions committee has been prevented from playing its role due to political considerations. China's actions expose its double speak and double standards when it comes to the international community's shared battle against terrorism," sources said.
Wednesday's move by Beijing follows the remarks by India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj a day before in which she said that the practice of placing holds and blocks on listing requests of terrorists without giving any justification must end.
"It is most regrettable that genuine and evidence-based listing proposals pertaining to some of the most notorious terrorists in the world are being placed on hold. Double standards and continuing politicization have rendered the credibility of Sanctions Regime at an all-time low," said Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj during a UNSC debate on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.
Ambassador Kamboj said India has suffered from the menace of terrorism for decades and has learned to counter this threat with resolve and firm determination.
"We hope that the international community will stand united in addressing this threat to humanity with zero tolerance," she added.
( With inputs from ANI )
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