It should not be a mere symbolic success

Sanction committee of UNSC declared Masood Azhar as a global terrorist and it is a diplomatic success for India. China has been using the veto against it, for several years. Now, it is more important that, how does it get implemented. So, we have to keep the pressure on Pakistan, to implement it rigorously.

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On 1st of May 1267 Sanction committee of UNSC announced Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist and it was a diplomatic achievement for India. Since 2009, along with India, the USA, France and Britain have been trying for it and China was blocking with Veto power. India got this success, with the help of other nations, just due to keeping the pressure on Pakistan at the economic front and China has now feeling to be isolated at the international forum. But, we have an example of Hafiz Saeed, Chief of Jamaat ud Dawa, who is also a global terrorist and wandering freely on the streets of Lahore. If this success remains symbolic, then Masood Azhar could be next one in this list and he may remain active with changing the name of the organization.

India released 3 terrorists in Indian Airlines hijack, in 1999 and Masood Azhar was one of them. Immediately after release, Azhar had launched his outfit, Jaish e Mohammad. He has created networks of Madrassas and other institutes in the region of Bahawalpur, in Punjab province of Pakistan. This network has been radicalizing thousands of youths from this region and has been using them against India. Azhar has been the mastermind of many attacks in India, including the 2001 parliament attack, attack on the assembly of Jammu-Kashmir, Pathankot attack and Pulwama was the last of this list. Although numbers of JeM’s attacks are less in number, in compare with Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen, all these attacks were symbolic. After 26/11, there were limitations for the Pakistani army and ISI to support to LeT. So they changed their tool against India and they started using JeM in Kashmir valley. Since few years JeM has been attracting Kashmiri youth than other terrorist outfits. So, JeM and Masood Azhar has been a headache for India. The Indian government tried many times to curb it but didn’t get success. To declare Azhar a global terrorist, there were 4 proposals in UNSC, in 2009, 2016, 2017 and March 2019. Every time China used technical block, with its veto power and asked for evidence.  China had been blocking India’s move just for its all-weather friend Pakistan. China-Pakistan nexus has been increased in the last few decades and China has been using Pakistan in South Asia as a tool. After Pulwama attack, the USA, Britain and France proposed to designate Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. As Pakistan continues the use of terrorists against India and global pressure increases, it was harming to China’s image to back Masood or any terrorist every time. Continue with Veto power in the same situation, means China is isolating itself.

When we think about China’s decision, we could not limit ourselves with India-China or China-Pakistan relation only. Equations of South Asia is now entering a new phase. So, India-Pakistan could not remain the only factor in South Asia, for longer. Along with India-Pakistan relations, China-Pakistan nexus and its economic importance, India-China relation and partnership between India and the USA. China-US relations, trade war and the cold war between them, also influence South Asia. In India-China relations, both countries agreed to do progress in relation in all angles and keep border dispute aside for a while. Talks on border dispute are going on. Especially after the Wuhan Summit and on the backdrop of the trade war, both countries know the importance of their relations. Therefore, China has opened a limited market for Indian IT and pharmacy industries, which was not even in trade talks with China. So, the issue of Masood Azhar was causing hurdle for India-China relations. Even, he and his JeM was posing danger for China’s ambitious CPEC. CPEC has gone through PoK and India has been protesting. But, during the second conference of BRI, which held a few days back, although India didn’t participate in it, for a while India didn’t give a comment in public. It could be a reason, China changed its mind on Masood Azhar.

Sanction of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) played an important role to pressurize Pakistan. FATF is a group of 36 countries, formed in 1989 to curb money laundering and finance supply to terrorists. Including the USA, European countries are members of this group. Last year, this group listed Pakistan in the grey list and blamed Pakistan did very little things to control terrorist activities from its soil. FATF may list Pakistans in the blacklist, which costs to Pakistan aid of $ 10 billion every year. Pakistan is at the bank of bankruptcy and the IMF puts stringent conditions for aid, the Pakistani government is under tremendous pressure. That’s why, within a few hours after UNSC designated Azhar a global terrorist, Pak government directed all its department to freeze the property of Azhar and put a ban on his travels.

Formalities to designate Masood Azhar is completed and now the main question remains, how does it get implemented. Due to these sanctions, no one could finance Azhar or JeM, no one could give safe heaven to him, there is arm embargo. Sanction committee keeps an eye on implementation and reports to UNSC every year. This sanction restrict movements of Azhar, JeM will face difficulty to get finance, they may shut their madrassas or other institutions. But, it is possible only after Pakistan’sco-operations. We have an example of Hafeez Saeed. After 26/11, UNSC designated him as a global terrorist, even the USA announced a bounty of $ 10 million. But, Hafeez is freely moving in the streets of Lahore. Even he launched a political outfit last year and there was an attempt to rehabilitate him politically. We hope Masood Azhar case will not follow the path, otherwise, our success will remain symbolic only.