In an escalation of diplomatic tension, India has censured China’s obstruction of a United Nations’ initiative to label Sajid Mir, the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader, as a “global terrorist”. India voiced its criticism on June 21, 2023, reflecting its apprehension about China’s seemingly indifferent stance towards global terrorism.
The United Nations resolution, initially put forward by the United States and later supported by India, proposed to place Sajid Mir on the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee’s blacklist of the UN Security Council. Blacklisting Mir would have triggered a stringent assets freeze, a global travel ban, and a comprehensive international arms embargo. However, China successfully obstructed the initiative.
Mir, a prominent figure in the LeT, is implicated in the infamous 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Even though he’s classified as a terrorist under national laws in India, the US, and other nations, the global listing proposition for Mir didn’t pass the Security Council’s review. This has led India to question the international community’s genuine commitment to fight terrorism.
Prakash Gupta, Joint Secretary at India’s permanent mission in New York, presented a resolute statement at a UN counter-terror meeting. Gupta underscored the necessity of shunning double standards and refuting the perilous narrative of “good terrorists versus bad terrorists”. Furthermore, he called attention to the opaque process of terrorist blacklisting and questioned the integrity of a system that negates evidence-backed proposals without having to explain.
As evidence, Gupta provided an audio clip purportedly showing Mir coordinating the Mumbai attackers. This horrifying event claimed 166 innocent lives, including 26 foreigners, which has fortified India’s hardline stance against terrorism.
Ahead of a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden, Indian diplomats in Washington are intensifying efforts to garner international support against China’s apparent double standard on terrorism. The meeting will likely address China’s role in impeding global counter-terrorism initiatives.
Sources suggest that China’s obstruction was strategically planned to coincide with Modi’s inaugural state visit to the US, where he will lead the International Day of Yoga events at the UN. Indian diplomats plan to use this platform to spotlight China’s seeming disregard for the international fight against terror.
At the UN, India condemned the worrying trend of geopolitical interests hindering sincere efforts to combat terrorism. It called upon nations to keep the discourse on terrorism free from undue religious bias and stressed the urgent need for justice against recognized terrorists, irrespective of geopolitical implications. Sajid Mir, now in his mid-40s, remains one of India’s most-wanted terrorists, with the US offering a USD 5 million bounty for his role in the 26/11 attacks. Despite over 15 years of incarceration by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court on terror-financing charges, Mir is still a high-ranking LeT member. Allegations of his death by Pakistani authorities have been met with Western skepticism, fuelling tensions during last year’s FATF evaluation of Pakistan’s anti-terrorism action plan.
India’s rising concerns illuminate the intricate difficulties in tackling international terrorism, underscoring the necessity for a cohesive and transparent global counter-terrorism strategy.