The move on Azhar in the UNSC is welcome, but India must continue to engage with China
- The U.S. move to take a listing request for Jaish-e-Mohammad founder Masood Azhar directly to the UN Security Council is an indicator of the frustration of a majority of the Council’s permanent members with China’s refusal to budge on the issue.
- Since 2001, the JeM and Azhar have claimed responsibility for several terror attacks that resulted in the deaths of dozens of innocent persons, including, most recently, the February 14 attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama.
- Even so, China has used its veto on Azhar’s listing at the 1267 UNSC Sanctions Committee four times in the past decade, evidently to protect Pakistan.
- Its stand on Azhar is at variance with the otherwise tough stand on terror in Xinjiang province.
- Also, China has allowed terrorists and groups based in Pakistan to be listed at the UNSC since 2001 and agreed to “grey list” Pakistan at the Financial Action Task Force for terror financing.
- With the latest proposal, the U.S. plans to “shame” China by bringing the Azhar listing to a public debate at the UNSC.
- And if that fails, it is reportedly considering a UN General Assembly statement condemning Azhar.
- The listing of Azhar is an unfinished task India is justified in pursuing.
- However, the latest U.S. move comes with some concerns.
- It is equally unlikely that a world power like China would be moved by the threat of public humiliation.
- New Delhi must applaud the strong support the U.S. and the other UNSC members have provided on the issue of cross-border terror threats, and on the vexed issue of Azhar’s listing.
- But it must be careful not to stake too much on an immediate win at the UNSC vis-a-vis China, and keep its expectations realistic.
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