China blocks India-US transfer to designate Hafiz Saeed’s relative as terrorist | World News

China has blocked a joint transfer by India and the US to checklist Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Abdul Rehman Makki as a worldwide terrorist on the UN Safety Council by putting a “technical maintain” on the proposal.

The strategy adopted by China, a detailed ally of Pakistan, is an identical to the steps it took to repeatedly block the itemizing of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar underneath the UN Safety Council’s Al-Qaeda and ISIL Sanctions Committee, earlier than lastly relenting in Could 2019 within the face of worldwide stress.

On June 1, India and the US collectively proposed the itemizing of Makki, a detailed aide and brother-in-law of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, on the UN Safety Council. Each nations have already Makki as a terrorist underneath home legal guidelines, and the US has provided a bounty of $2 million for him.

The proposal to checklist Makki underneath the UN Safety Council sanctions regime was circulated to all 15 members of the council’s Al-Qaeda and ISIL Sanctions Committee, often known as the 1267 Committee, underneath a “no-objection process” legitimate until June 16, folks accustomed to the event stated.

On June 16, China put a “technical maintain” on the proposal, the folks stated. This measure, which might final for as much as six months at a time underneath the Safety Council’s procedures, successfully blocks the proposal to designate Makki as a terrorist till the “technical maintain” is withdrawn.

“China’s resolution is extraordinarily unlucky, given the overwhelming proof in opposition to Makki. Apart from, it runs counter to China’s claims of combating terrorism,” one of many folks cited above stated.

The folks famous this wasn’t the primary time China has created hurdles within the course of for itemizing of identified Pakistan-based terrorists. China blocked proposals to designate JeM chief Azhar on the UN sanctions committee a minimum of 4 instances by utilizing technical holds. On the time, Beijing had contended this was executed as extra info was required about Azhar’s actions.

China lastly relented in Azhar’s case by lifting the technical maintain on Could 1, 2019, permitting the itemizing of the JeM chief by the 1267 committee for his terrorist actions and his hyperlinks with al-Qaeda. Beijing caved in due to mounting worldwide stress and its personal efforts on the time to enhance ties with New Delhi within the wake of the 2017 border standoff at Doklam.

Any designation of Makki by the UN Safety Council would have required Pakistan to take three steps – freeze his funds and monetary belongings, implement a journey ban, and reduce off entry to arms and associated supplies.

Makki is the deputy chief of LeT and head of the group’s political affairs division. Each LeT and its entrance organisation, Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) have been proscribed as terrorist entities by the UN. Makki additionally served as head of LeT’s overseas relations division.

He's a member of the shura or governing physique of JuD, and likewise a member of the group’s central and proselytizing crew.

Makki was reportedly arrested by Pakistani authorities on Could 15, 2019 and stored underneath home arrest in Lahore within the face of rising stress from the Monetary Motion Job Power (FATF) to crack down on terror financing. In 2020, Makki was convicted of terror financing and given an 18-month jail time period by a courtroom in Lahore.

The US authorities’s Rewards for Justice itemizing for Makki, which gives a bounty of $2 million, states: “The US continues to hunt info on Makki as a result of the Pakistani judicial system has launched convicted LeT leaders and operatives up to now.”

Makki has been concerned in elevating funds, recruiting and radicalising youth to plan assaults in India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. Whereas Makki has held management positions in LeT and JuD, LeT was concerned in a number of brazen assaults in India, such because the 2008 Mumbai terror assaults, the Crimson Fort Assault of December 2000, the Rampur CRPF Camp assault of January 2008, the Karan Nagar assault in Srinagar in February 2018, the Khanpora, Baramulla, assault in Could 2018, and the Gurez-Bandipora assault in August 2018.

The US treasury division designated Makki as a specifically designated international terrorist on November 4, 2010.