China has blocked India’s move in the United Nations (UN) demanding action against Pakistan over release of Mumbai attack mastermind and LeT commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.
China contended that India has provided insufficient information.
The UN Sanctions Committee met here at India’s request, a clarification was to be sought from Pakistan over Lakhvi’s release in the 26/11 trial, official sources said.
Lakhvi’s Release
Lakhvi was released on April 9, 2015 from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail in Pakistan.
Lakhvi, 55, a close relative of LeT founder and Jamaat-Ud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, was arrested in December 2008 and was indicted along with the six others on November 25, 2009 in connection with the 26/11 attack case. The trial has been underway since 2009.
Lakhvi and six others - Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum - have been charged with planning and executing the Mumbai attack in November, 2008 that left 166 people dead.
International Reaction
In a letter to the current Chair of the UN Sanctions Committee Jim McLay, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Asoke Mukherjee, last month, had said Lakhvi’s release was in violation of the 1267 UN resolution dealing with designated entities and individuals associated with terror groups including al-Qaeda and Let.
UN Sanctions’ Committee has five permanent and 10 non-permanent UN member states in it.
According to sources, except China, all other members in the Sanctions Committee supported India’s stand.
The release of Lakhvi had also raised concerns in the US, UK, Russia, France and Germany with Washington calling for him to be re-arrested.
Modi Talks to China
Indian Government had taken up the issue of violation of the 1267 sanctions regime in respect of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken up with Chinese leadership India’s concerns over China’s move.
Our concerns in this matter were conveyed to the Chair of the 1267 Committee. We also raised this bilaterally with the other members of the Committee. In the case of China, this matter has been taken up at the highest level.
–Vikas Swarup, Spokesperson, External Affairs Ministry
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)