 "Is China helping LeT-backed TRF, behind Pahalgam attack, dodge UN sanctions?")
Is China helping The Resistance Force (TRF) dodge sanctions From the United Nations?
The group, an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) carried out the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 were killed.
While India has been repeatedly trying to get the TRF classified as a terror group by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), it seems China is blocking the way.
This comes in the backdrop of India sending an all-party delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to the United States to highlight Operation Sindoor as well as Pakistan’s role in backing terror.
The Indian officials even met key United Nations counter-terror teams while in New York.
But what happened? What do we know? And what about China’s track record?
Let’s take a closer look:
What happened?
The UN Security Council Monitoring Team has refused to include the TRF in its six monthly report to 1267 Sanctions Committee, as per The Times of India.
The Monitoring Team is a key part of the 1267 UNSC Sanctions Committee – also known as the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee.
As per News18, this UNSC body was established in 1999.
It is charged with levying sanctions against individuals, groups, and entities associated with ISIL and Al-Qaeda.
The Monitoring Team tracks sanctions already placed and also keeps the committee apprised of any new developments.
The team has leads for every region – who gather information from different countries and put it into a report.
The report is presented to the UNSC Sanctions Committee every six months.
However, both the Baloch Liberation Army and the Majeed Brigade have found a mention in the report.
This gains relevance because Pakistan wanted both these groups mentioned in the report.
Pakistan’s request was accommodated by Chinese diplomat Chungjie Li – who heads up the South and Central Asia group.
Chungjie previously worked on counter-terrorism and non-proliferation for China’s Foreign Ministry.
India has presented its case on the TRF thrice – In December 2023, May 2024 and December 2024 – only for it to be blocked by Chungjie.
“Over the last two years or so, we have been sharing information with the United Nations Security Council and the monitoring team of the Sanctions Committee as to why the The Resistance Front, a front for the Lashkar-e-Taiba, should be listed as a terrorist entity. We will be also in few days time sharing more details in this regard. Hopefully, Security Council 1267 monitoring team will take strong note of what we present, what we file and take due action against what is required,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters earlier in May, as per The Times of India
The development comes despite Indian officials briefing members of the Monitoring Team on the TRF, as per Hindustan Times.
People in the know speaking on condition of anonymity set the team had visited New York to meet the Monitoring Team as well as representatives of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED).
According to Deccan Herald, the team which comprised counter-terrorism and legal experts highlighted the links of the TRF to Al-Qaeda and ISIL.
India previously told the Monitoring Team that the JeM and LeT were operating through front groups like the TRF.
China’s track record of supporting Pak terror groups
China has a track record of backing Pakistan and its terror groups.
As per the newspaper, China aided Pakistan in getting all references to the TRF deleted from the April 25 UNSC statement on the Pahalgam terror attack.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar even boasted about being able to keep the TRF’s name out of the statement.
China, in fact, has been blocking the sanction of five known JeM and LeT terrorists involved in attacks in India.
The list comprises Abdul Rauf Asghar, Sajid Mir, Abdul Rehman Makki, Talha Saeed, Shahid Mehmood Rehmatullah.
Asghar, who was said to be killed in the Indian strike on Bahawalpur, was blocked from the sanctions list in 2023 by China.
This despite India and the US jointly asking that he be designated a terrorist and sanctioned.
Mir, Mehmood and Saeed have also not been included in the sanctions list because of China – which as a permanent member of the UNSC can block and veto actions.
Pakistan is currently a non-permanent member of the UNSC.
India has been a non-permanent member on eight previous occasions.
The terrorists in question
Abdul Rauf Asghar
As per Mint, Asghar was a key figure in the attack on Parliament in 2001.
He is also have said to have played a major role in the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814.
He is said to be the brain of the 2016 attack on the Pathankot airbase strike.
He is also said to have played a role in the 2019 Pulwama attack.
Sajid Mir
Mir is a top LeT commander who is in charge of the terror group’s India division.
He is one of the men responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai attack.
China on September 2022 had blocked an attempt by India, co-sponsored by the US, to declare Mir a global terrorist.
China had placed his name on technical hold in 2022 before blocking it in 2023.
Abdul Rehman Makki
Makki is the brother-in-law of LeT chief Hafiz Saeed.
As per Mint, Makki previously served as the terror outfit’s political affairs wing and the chief of its foreign relations department.
China in 2022 had placed last minute technical hold on adding his name to the sanctions list – which India condemned as unfortunate.
India and the US had jointly proposed to designate Makki a global terrorist.
China finally lifted the hold on Makki in 2023.
Talha Saeed
Talha is the son of LeT chief Hafiz Saeed.
China has blocked his name form being added to the list of global terrorists since 2022.
As per Economic Times, Talha has been involved in recruitment, fund collection, planning and executing attacks by LeT on India and Indian interests in Afghanistan.
Shahid Mehmood Rehmatullah
Rehmatullah is the deputy chief of the Falah-i-lnsaniyat Foundation (FIF).
The FiF is a front group for the LeT.
He was said to be involved in a conspiracy to create bases and sympathisers in India by sending funds in the garb of religious work.
He is also wanted by the NIA in the 2018 FIF terror funding case, as per Mint.
With inputs from agencies
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