Beijing needs to rethink on banning of Jaish chief: Former J-K DGP

As the Indian government has decided to take up with China the matter of extension of a technical hold on New Delhi's bid for a United Nations ban against Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, a former director general of police of Jammu and Kashmir and defence expert, M.M. Khajuria, on Friday said that this is a very timely message to the world community, and that there is an absolute need for China to have a rethink on the issue, given that they themselves are confronted with Islamic terrorism and admitted that the leadership of that terrorism resides in Pakistan.

Commenting on Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup's statement that India has conveyed to the United Nations that it is expected to proscribe the JeM chief under the 1267 sanctions regime of the security council, as such a designation will send a strong message to all terror groups across the world that the international community is no longer going to tolerate selective approaches to terrorism, Khajuria said, "The idea of the MEA spokesperson is to bring it to the notice of world community, in which 14 members are in favour of a known and recognised world-level terrorist Masood Azhar, who obtained freedom from the prison in Kandahar as exchange for our civilians. His terrorist activities are well-known at the world level."

Khajuria further said, "But the significant importance of the MEA's statement lies in the fact that the world which is today confronting terrorism, particularly the European countries, and the United Kingdom, which have been always reluctant to get involved in naming terrorists, or they even give them shelter; they are today themselves confronted with the harsh reality of terrorism and the Indian Government wants them to realise what is the stake for them on this and if you do not designate."

"It shows the determination of the world community to fight terrorism and if they don't do it and tomorrow when something happens in their own backyard or their own home; that is probably the reason why it was thought today. We are going through the process of fighting terrorism here, and other countries are apprehensive as to who is going to hit when. So, I think, this is a very timely message to the world community and absolutely for China to rethink on the issue because they themselves are confronted with Islamic terrorism in their own country and they have admitted that the leadership of that terrorism resides in Pakistan," Khajuria told ANI.

Briefing the media here, Swarup said, "You will recall the principle argument that we made in the 1267 committee march this year, was that the committee has proscribed the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad, but has ignored the need to take action against this organisation's main leader, financer and motivator, who continues his terrorist activities unhindered."

"The committee has already pondered over our submission for the last six months. It will get a further three months to ponder, but that will in no way change the extreme situation. We have the committee designating terrorist organisation, but failing to or ignoring the need to designate the organisations' most active and dangerous terrorist," he added.

"Distinction between good terrorists and bad terrorists is fallacious and counterproductive. Concomitantly, it will also be sending a dangerous message, if it fails to act upon India's submission. I understand that this issue is also being taken up with the Chinese government," Swarup said.

He said India's main argument made before the committee in March this year was that the main leader, financier and motivator who continue terrorist actions remain unhindered.