India has taken up the issue of China blocking its move at the United Nations to seek action against Pakistan for releasing the 26/11 mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi “at the highest level” with Beijing.
It is not clear how India’s reaction to Beijing was conveyed, but “highest level” points to the Prime Minister.
India’s bid to seek action against Pakistan was blocked by China on the grounds that New Delhi had not provided sufficient information.
This move comes a little over a month after New Delhi and Beijing agreed to deepen their commitment to fight terror, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country.
Reacting to the development, India late on Tuesday said the issue had been taken up with China at the “highest level”.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said: “The government had taken up the issue of violation of the 1267 sanctions regime in respect of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi. Our concerns in this matter were conveyed to the Chair of the 1267 Committee. We also raised this bilaterally with the other members of the Committee. In the case of China, this matter has been taken up at the highest level.”
Since December 2014, India’s Permanent Mission to the UN has filed separate proposals on Pakistan-based terrorists, each of which has been reportedly delayed or stopped by China.
India wanted to seek Pakistan clarification on release
At the U.N. Sanctions Committee meeting convened on India’s request, a clarification was to be sought from Pakistan over the release of 26/11 mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi release, but it was blocked by the Chinese representatives who said New Delhi had provided insufficient information.
In May this year, India’s Permanent Representative to the U.N., Asoke Mukherjee, had written to the then Chair of the U.N. Sanctions Committee, Jim McLay, stating that Lakhvi’s release by a Pakistani court in April was in violation of the 1267 U.N. resolution dealing with designated entities and individuals.
India had also made a reference to the bail money deposited for Lakhvi, since being listed as a terrorist he cannot give or receive funds. Since December 2014 China has repeatedly blocked or delayed India’s attempts at filing separate proposals on Pakistan-based terrorists at the United Nations Security Council sanctions committee on Al-Qaeda and associated entities
U.S. support
The United States, too, has thrown its weight behind India’s demand for re-arresting Lakhvi. On a visit to New Delhi recently, Nisha Biswal, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, said the U.S. has asked Pakistan to ensure that efforts are made to arrest Lakhvi and that he does not roam free.
A recent U.S. State Department’s report on Terrorism also indicted Pakistan for not taking action against LeT.
The Hindu had earlier reported that China has put a “technical hold” on India’s request to list Hizbul Mujahideen chief and head of the ‘United Jihad Council’, Syed Salahuddin.
The “technical hold” amounts to a veto on going ahead with the listing process for at least three months.
