RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3211
TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2017
REJECTION OF PROPOSAL TO BLACKLIST TERROR GROUP CHIEF
3211. SHRI ANUBHAV MOHANTY:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has rejected the proposal of India to blacklist a Pakistan based terror group chief;
(b) whether the proposal was rejected due to lack of merit and being politically motivated; and
(c) if so, in what manner Government proposes to pursue the matter with UNSC to ensure that the objective is achieved ?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]
(a) to (c) In February 2016, Government approached the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee established under Resolutions 1267/1989/2253 with the proposal to designate Masood Azhar under the 1267 sanction regime. It was emphasized that while the Pakistan-based
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) had been designated by the 1267 Committee as far back as 2001 for its well-known terror activities and links to the Al Qaeda, the Committee had not designated Masood Azhar who is the JeM’s main leader, financier and motivator.
China who is a member of the 1267 Sanctions Committee, first sought a hold on a decision by the Committee and finally blocked the proposal on 29 December 2016. As per the working guidelines of the 1267 Committee decisions are taken collectively on the basis
of the consensus principle, no individual member of the Committee is required to provide a public explanation for its views.
Subsequently in January this year, a fresh proposal to designate Masood Azhar was made to the Committee by the United States, UK and France. China has once again placed a six month 'hold' on the proposal which therefore remains pending before the Committee.
Government remains engaged with members of the 1267 UN Security Council Sanctions Committee on the matter. Government is firmly resolved to take all necessary measures to defeat the scourge of terrorism and to ensure the safety and security of our citizens.
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