Sachin Parashar  

India will pursue its case for an international ban on Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief and Pathankot airbase attack accused Masood Azhar with the US in the ‘2+2’ dialogue to be held here on September 6.

Emboldened by US willingness expressed in recent exchanges to continue this pursuit, India is expected to press again for an early move to designate Azhar a global terrorist. The government seems keen to pursue the Azhar issue as it believes it will also act as an early test for the Imran Khan government’s stated willingness to take two steps for every one India takes for normalisation of ties.

India has been assured by the US that it is working to ensure that Beijing drops its opposition to a ban on Pakistan-based Azhar when it is proposed. The much delayed 2+2 dialogue will review bilateral ties, with special focus on defence and security partnership.

As a permanent member of the UNSC, China initially blocked and later terminated a US-backed proposal to get Azhar designated a global terrorist by the UN last year. India has since quietly worked with the US, the UK and France to convince the Chinese that opposing the ban on Azhar betrayed a selective approach to terrorism since the organisation he heads, JeM, was already proscribed by the UN.

India and the US last year launched a new consultation mechanism on domestic and international terrorist designations. Earlier this month, the US state department named three Pakistan nationals linked with LeT as ‘specially designated global terrorist’. Welcoming the move, India said it vindicated its position that internationally designated terrorists continued to operate with impunity in Pakistan. The US and India are also working to ensure global terrorists are included in the UNSC sanctions committee list.

India has repeatedly also taken up the issue with Beijing in bilateral engagements this year while seeking to improve relations with China. The Azhar issue, along with China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Beijing’s opposition to India’s NSG membership, has acted as a real impediment in improving ties with China in the past few years. The government will also closely follow secretary of state Mike Pompeo’s visit to Pakistan on his way to India, expecting him to deliver a strong message to Islamabad on terrorism.

Sachin.Parashar@timesgroup.com

Courtesy: Times of India: 27 Aug 2018