United Nations: The listing of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN Security Council (UNSC) has been termed as a ‘significant achievement’ by member nations in holding perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of acts of terrorism accountable.
The 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the powerful UNSC blacklisted Azhar May 1 after veto-wielding permanent member China lifted its technical hold on the proposal by the United States, the United Kingdom and France to list him.
It was a huge victory for India after a decade of relentless efforts to ban the mastermind of several terror attacks against India, including the deadly Pulwama incident. The listing subjects Azhar to an assets freeze, travel ban and an arms embargo.
“We are pleased that this month, the 1267 Committee designated Masood Azhar, leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed, and ISIL-Khorasan, a dangerous IS affiliate operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan, for UN sanctions,” Ambassador Jonathan Cohen, Acting Permanent Representative of the US to the United Nations said at a Security Council semi-annual briefing here Monday by Chairs of subsidiary bodies. “Azhar’s listing shows that the international community can and will hold terrorists accountable for their actions,” added Cohen.
Last week, the 1267 Sanctions Committee sanctioned ISIL-Khorasan, a terror group also known as ‘ISIL’s South Asia Branch’, formed in 2015 by a former Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan commander, which has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Germany and Poland, who had also co-sponsored the proposal to blacklist the JeM chief, termed the listing of Azhar as a significant achievement by all members of the Security Council.
“It was a good signal, good sign for the work of this Committee that we were able earlier to have the listing of Masood Azhar. It was difficult for some but I think it was very important that we were able to overcome the obstacles,” German Ambassador to the UN Christoph Heusgen said at the meeting.
Poland’s permanent representative to the UN Joanna Wronecka, without naming Azhar, said that she would like to ‘underline a significant achievement made by all Security Council member states which allowed listing of a person responsible for a deadly terrorist attack in the state of Jammu and Kashmir’, a reference to the Pulwama terror attacks masterminded by Azhar.
China’s representative Yao Shaojun said the 1267 Sanctions Committee represents an important counter-terrorism sanctions mechanism of the UN and the Security Council. “It plays a significant role in assessing terrorist threats and strengthening sanctions measures,” he stated.
Cohen pointed out that the 1267, 1373 and 1540 Committees play a crucial and complementary role in assessing and countering global threats and they are invaluable in the fight against terrorism. “IS and Al Qaida are dynamic organisations, evolving with the pressure the international community brings to bear on them. The 1267 Committee must continue to keep up its pace to adapt to the evolving threat,” he asserted.
India’s permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin also thanked the body for ‘ensuring that the process went smoothly’ in the blacklisting of Azhar.
PTI