D K Kotwal
Indian PM Modi paid a high profile visit to China in May 2015 to strengthen Indo-China relations and in this regard 24 agreements were signed between India and China in diversified fields and in joint statement between Modi and Chinese Premier LI Keqiang issued on May 15-both sides committed to fighting terror and “urged all countries and entities to work sincerely to disrupt terrorist networks and their financing and stop cross border movement of terrorist”. The words gave hope but we have yet to see China’s words translating on ground in the UN.
As of now, Indians protests over China’s move to block Indians attempts at the United Nation’s to ban Jaish-e- Mohammad Chief Masoor Azar is understandable. It is Azhar along with Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Hafiz Saeed who provided the leadership for most of the terror attacks launched from Pakistan on India. Even if China awaits evidence of Azhar’s role in the Pathankot attacks, it cannot be unaware of his long association with terrorist activity, including the 2001 Parliament assault, also it is impossible to ignore the fact IC-814 was hijacked and hundreds innocent lives were endangered in order to secure his release. Incidentally, Masood Azar’s arrest in 1994 was accidental. He was caught while travelling in an autorikshaw in Anantnag. Why was Azhar so important for the militant groups and the ISI that had sent him to Jammu and Kashmir on a fake Portuguese passport? Radha Vinod Raja, a brilliant investigator and founder of NIA, the then IGP Jammu explained “Azhar is a strategic asset for Pakistan’s ISI. They can afford to get any number of militants killed but they need someone who can motivate the young to pick up guns to kill or die. They are cannon fodder. He is an Ideologue. That is the difference.” Farooq Abdullah, the then Chief Minister of J&K had refused to release Azhar but yielded after pressure from Delhi ,especially from the then Union Home Minister LK Advani and Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh. The impression was that Farooq Abdullah was not interested in saving the lives of crew and passengers of the hijacked aircraft parked in Kandhar ,the capital of Taliban. Azhar had founded Jaish-e-Mehmood when he reached Pakistan soon after his release. Since then he has been the mastermind of various terrorist attacks on India. Azhar is the undisputed leader of JeM who has been proscribed by the UN for its links with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and it is quite logical that he also under comes a ban. Despite China’s repeated assurances of standing firm on the issue of terrorism at the bilateral level as well as at multilateral fora such as BRICS and RIC, it has let down India time and again in the past 2 years since Sept 2014 when President XI Jinping visited India .
China has also blocked India’s move in the UN demanding action against Pakistan over release of Mumbai attack mastermind LeT commander Zakir-ur-Rehman in violation of resolution of the word body as it contended that India provided insufficient information. In letter to the current chair of UN sanctions committee India’s representative to the UN had said that Lakhvi’s release by a Pakistani court was in violation of the 1267 UN resolution dealing with designated entities. The release of Lakhvi had raised concern in UK, US and Germany and Washington had even asked to rearrest him. As he and 6 others were charged with planning and executing Mumbai attack in Nov. 2008 that left 166 people dead.
Despite commitments on fighting terror in the joint statement between India and China during PM’s visit to Beijiing , China had put a ‘technical hold’ on India’s request to list Hizbul Mujahideen chief and head of the ‘United Jihad Council’. The technical hold amounts to a veto. The sources said that Technical Hold was put on Salahudin’s listing during a meeting of the 1267 committee in April this year though the original request was made in Sept last year. The listing means– all member states must cut off the entity’s finances, travel and access to arms.This was a part of an Indian Govt. initiative for years against Salahudin who is wanted for several HM attacks. In 2008 just two weeks after the Mumbai terror attacks he was photographed praying along with 26/11 key accused Lakhvi. The Indian request to list him came after a public speech by him in Muzaffarabad in July2014 where he called on Al-Qaeda and Taliban cadres to fight Indian forces in Kashmir. Diplomats are puzzled by china’s move in the case as it has asked for more proof of Salahudin’s links with Al-Qaeda.
Much of the problem, as the govt.’s statement itself acknowledges, stems from the insistence of the UN Security committee on terrorism on ‘unanimity’ and ‘anonymity’ for all decisions on listing terror entities which allows China to overrule India’s efforts with a technical role. It is no secret that while China business and people to people contact have improved over the past few years, the security relationship has flagged but a series of border incursions by Chinese troops followed by India’s forging maritime military ties with US for co-ordination in the South China sea, have increased distrust between New Delhi and Beijiing. Added to this is China’s renewed closeness to Pakistan, and growing interest in the China-Pakistan economic corridor making it more difficult for Beijiing to hold Pakistan accountable over tricky issues such as terror the answer is clear, India must show willingness to work with every world power in order to isolate the terrorists that continue to threaten its people. Airing of the frustration is one thing, but what is required is deft diplomacy behind the scenes and a continued engagement with Beijing. Both countries after all have shared concern about terror, while China having its own problem in Xinjiang.
India is expected to take up the issue of China blocking its bid to have Pakistan’s terrorists listed by UN when India’s Defence Minister and NSA visit China on April 20 and this issue may be racked up by Indian Foreign Minister with her China counterpart when they meet each other at Moscow to attend RIC trilateral meeting. A National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court in Mohali issued an arrest warrant against Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Azhar and three others wanted in January’s Pathankot air base attack case. China has again reiterated its commitment against terrorism when Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei, said. “China remains in contact with all relevant parties, including India on this matter…China opposes all forms of terrorism.” If we go by this assurance India may one day come out successful in getting the terrorists listed in the UN. It is no secret that while China business and people to people contact have improved over the past few years, the security relationship has flagged but a series of border incursions by Chinese troops followed by India’s forging maritime military ties with US for co-ordination in the South China sea, have increased distrust between New Delhi and Beijiing.
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