China's defence to JeM's Rauf Asghar most uncalled for: India

China on Thursday came in defence of Abdul Rauf Asghar and thwarted India's bid to list him as the UN Security Council designated terrorist.

Reacting over the issue, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We note with regret that a technical hold has been placed on the listing proposal for Abdul Rauf Asghar. It's unfortunate that when it comes to our collective battle against terrorism, the international community has been unable to speak in one common voice."

Bagchi said Abdul Rauf Asghar has been proscribed under both Indian and US laws already and has been involved in a number of terrorist acts.

"Therefore, the placing of technical hold against such a wanted terrorist is most uncalled for. India will continue to pursue its principled position of bringing these terrorists to justice including to the UN security council resolution 1267 sanctions regime," Bagchi said.

India has maintained that there should be no double standards in dealing with terrorists and "the practice of placing holds and blocks without giving a justification must end."

"It's most regrettable that genuine and evidence based listing proposal pertaining to some of the most notorious terrorists of the world are being placed on hold. Double standards and continuing politicisation have rendered the credibility of the sanctions committee regiment an all time low," he said quoting India's stand in the UNSC.

All other 14 members of the United Nations Security Council agreed to impose sanctions on Abdul Rauf Asghar but only China, a permanent veto wielding member of the UN, stood out against the listing of the dreaded terrorist and decided to hold the proposal saying it required more time to study. It will now have six months to make a decision.

The proposal was moved by India, co-sponsored by the US, to list Abdul Rauf Asghar in the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee.

India and the United States wanted Asghar to be designated as an international terrorist and be subjected to a global travel ban and freezing of his assets. But such a proposal would require to be agreed by all members of the 15 member UNSC body.

Abdul Rauf Asghar, younger brother of Masood Azhar, has been involved in the planning and execution of numerous terror attacks, including the hijacking of Indian Airlines aircraft IC814 (1999), the attack on the Indian Parliament (2001) and the attack on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot (2016).

This is not the first time that China has obstructed the listing of terrorists in the 1267 Sanctions Committee. In June 2022, China placed on hold a joint proposal by India and the US to list the Deputy Chief of the Lashkar e Toiba (LeT), Abdul Rehman Makki, in the sanctions 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 of 2008.

There is incontrovertible evidence for both these listing proposals. Both individuals have also been sanctioned by the US under its domestic legislation.

China decision is likely to further strain ties between New Delhi and Beijing. The two countries have been in a military standoff at the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh since April 2020.

(With UNI inputs)