India has welcomed the designation of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) deputy chief Abdur Rehman Makki as a proscribed terrorist by the UN Security Council, after China lifted a “technical hold” on the listing last year. . Makki, the brother-in-law of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, is on the most wanted lists of India and the US for terror attacks in India and supporting terrorists in Pakistan. China’s hold on the Mecca listing process in June was one of five claims placed on similar resolutions against other wanted Lashkar/Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists based in Pakistan. This led to an angry reaction from New Delhi, which accused Beijing of “double standards” on terrorism and made a “mockery” of the UNSC’s counter-terrorism mechanism. In this sense, China’s decision to allow the listing is a victory for India: it is the first time a listing proposal where India is a co-sponsor has been allowed to pass; And this is the first time that a terrorist has been listed primarily for attacks in India, especially in Kashmir, as most others have been listed for their al-Qaeda links and for attacks in other parts of the world. . It is not clear what caused China to back out, as it continues despite 14 other UNSC members agreeing to the listing. In 2019, China agreed to India’s decade-old demand to list JeM chief Masood Azhar only after an international outcry over the Pulwama suicide bombing. The Chinese Foreign Ministry called the Mecca listing “conducive to enhancing international counter-terrorism cooperation” and a “recognition” of Pakistan’s fight against terrorism.
As India knows from its own experience, UNSC designating terrorists, who are subject to an asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo, is only a step towards bringing them to justice. From the 1999 IC-814 Kandahar hijacking to the Mumbai 26/11 attacks and the Pathankot and Pulwama attacks, Pakistan is yet to hold even one of the many terrorists responsible for major attacks on the list. New Delhi will have to persevere in its seemingly Sisyphean task of focusing on Makki and others to ensure that Pakistan continues to feel the pressure to successfully prosecute them. It is possible that the Makki designation is the result of behind-the-scenes talks between India and China at a time when relations are embroiled in the LAC standoff. The test of this diplomacy will perhaps be known when China takes action on the proposed list of four more terrorists, namely Hafiz Saeed’s son Talha, 26/11 operative Sajid Mir, Lashkar recruiter Shahid Mehmood and Abdul Rauf Azhar (Masood Azhar’s brother). Will do ) was wanted for the IC-814 hijacking.