Row on Lakhvi's release: India slams 'indifference' of UNSC members towards terrorism

United Nations: Days after China blocked its move in the UN for action against Pakistan over Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi’s release, India has slammed the “indifference” of some permanent UNSC members towards restraining terrorists, saying it has questioned the Security Council’s ability to combat terrorism. “Terrorists have attacked UN institutions and peacekeepers with impunity, without being prosecuted,” India’s Ambassador to the UN Asoke Mukerji said at the 70th Anniversary Commemoration of the UN Charter in San Francisco. [caption id=“attachment_2319658” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP[/caption] “The indifference of some permanent members of the Council to even fetter such terrorists under the Council’s own sanctions regimes has questioned the seriousness and ability of the Council to tackle what is perhaps the single biggest threat to international peace and security today,” he said. Mukerji said the use of sanctions is often cited as proof of the Council’s effectiveness. “Yet, the track record of the Council over the past few years in using this tool in an objective, transparent and effective manner, especially to counter terrorism, has been challenged,” he said at the event on Saturday. Mukerji’s remarks come against the backdrop of permanent member and veto-wielding China blocking India’s move in the UN demanding action against Pakistan over release of Mumbai attack mastermind and LeT commander Lakhvi in violation of a resolution of the world body. China blocked the move on grounds that India provided insufficient information. Mukerji said the mushrooming conflicts and human suffering in many parts of the world today are symptoms of a breakdown of international peace and security, the primary responsibility for which was given by the UN Charter to the 15-nation Security Council. The Indian envoy questioned why the five permanent members of the Council have not faced democratic approval in any UNSC election over the past 70 years. “Within the Council, a special and privileged responsibility has been given by the Charter to the five allied powers that were victorious in the Second World War. It is ironic that these five have not faced the yardstick of democratic approval in any UN Security Council election over the last 70 years,” he said, adding that the world has been transformed by a “surge of democracy”. PTI