The Home Ministry has constituted a three-member committee to expedite the procedures required to place Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, Bhatkal resident Shafi Armar, who is now said to be the media chief of the Islamic State, Hizbul Mujahiddeen chief Syed Salahuddin and nine others on the United Nations list of proscribed terrorists.
The move comes after several rounds of file movement between the Home and the External Affairs Ministries blaming each other for the delay in sending the proposal to the 1267 Taliban/Al-Qaeda sanctions committee. After China put a technical hold on designating Masood Azhar as an international terrorist in April this year, India decided to send a robust proposal to the U.N. committee.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was of the view that the proposal sent by the Home Ministry was not strong enough.
Following this, it was decided that a fresh one would be sent after incorporating further inputs from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and the Intelligence Bureau.
The NIA, which is probing the Pathankot terror attack, had been asked to furnish details gathered by it of Azhar’s role in the entire conspiracy. India will use this information to renew its bid to put Azhar’s name on the U.N. list. A three-member committee comprising IB, NIA and Home Ministry officials has been formed, and they have been asked to send a final report to the MEA in the next 15 days with the primary focus on Azhar.
“The idea is to get the job done as soon as possible, and the committee will ensure that there are no further delays. The ball will be in the MEA’s court after that,” said a senior Home Ministry official.
Brother also included
Azhar’s younger brother Abdul Rauf, who was directing the Jaish terrorists on the phone when they attacked the Pathankot airbase on January 2 this year, also features on the list. Rauf’s role in the hijack of IC-814 in 1999, which led to the release of Azhar, will also be incorporated.
If an individual is put on the U.N. list, it will help in restricting his movement, entail financial penalties and assets freeze among others.