Last week, the United Nations (UN) designated Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. While the decision has been termed a diplomatic success in New Dehli, the assessment on the part of the UN doesn’t affect Islamabad position or interests tied to the entire debate. If one goes through the resolution it becomes clear that it’s essentially Islamabad that stands to gain from the decision rather than New Dehli. Let me explain.
Azhar and his organization have remained banned in Pakistan for more than a decade and the group has not been to carry out any activities that may trigger Pakistan’s reaction. According to the ban that Pakistan has placed on the group, Masood’s travel remains ceased, his bank accounts remain terminated and his group doesn’t have any armed presence. Some of the seminaries which the group ran have remained under the strict scrutiny of various government institutions. Therefore, claims of the international community that Masood has had any role in Jammu and Kashmir violence are false.
In this context, the recently adopted resolution by the UN ratifies Pakistan’s already existing stance on the group. Besides, the resolution goes on to support Pakistan’s position on the issue: while the UN resolution has listed MA as a terrorist, the same document has de-linked him from the 14 February 2019 Pulwama attack. Moreover, the resolution also dissociates Masood from any role in Jammu and Kashmir violence. Interestingly, Masood debated role at the UN and his terming as an insurgent were in the context of his disputed activities in Afghanistan during the early 1990s. This part may not have been highlighted to an extent that it should be but it’s a major diplomatic win for Pakistan. By de-linking Masood from the Pulwama attack and Kashmir, the UN has endorsed Pakistan’s position that Masood was neither involved in the Pulwama attack nor supported any armed struggle in the valley.
India’s native terrorism problem appears to have become a major challenge not only for the country but also for the region. A few days ago, the Naxalites attack in India killed around 26 soldiers. This comes in the wake of reports the ISIS has established an operational base in India
The UN resolution requests that Pakistan cease his travels, terminate his bank accounts and confiscate weapons in his possession. As mentioned above, Pakistan has been keeping taps on Masood and his group for years and there is nothing new in this.
China has been helping Pakistan with technical hold for more than a decade now and the issue. For years, Beijing has stood with Islamabad against India’s efforts to undermine Pakistan’s political, security and diplomatic interests globally. China on its part didn’t simply lift its technical hold, allowing Masood to be listed as a terrorist. Clearly, China and Pakistan worked together to deliberate the terms of the listing which is clearly going to help Pakistan’s case at the FATF as it not only proves that the Pulwama attack had no links with Pakistan but also underscores Pakistan’s commitment towards countering all forms of terrorism.
Arguably, another Indian diplomatic effort to link Masood with Pakistan’s state institutions has failed at the UN: Pakistan, with the help of China, brought the matter before the Sanctions Committee and didn’t allow India to take the issue before the UNSC. Masood’s listing and that too at the sanctions committee level disassociates him from Pakistan’s state institutions which is a win for Islamabad. Moreover, Pakistan is neither bound to take any additional legal action against the group nor does it affect Pakistan’s state institutions in any way.
This event only makes it clear that the ongoing violence in Kashmir is an indigenous struggle which has only exacerbated due to New Dehli’s belligerent policies in the valley. The UN’s de-linking of Masood from the Pulwama attack, Kashmir violence, and Pakistan’s state institutions again dents New Dehli’s effort to undermine Pakistan’s interests. The changes happening in Pakistan manifest that the country is committed to fighting all forms of extremism. The listing of Masood doesn’t resolve the issue of Kashmir. The international community needs to realize that focusing on matters that have no tangible significance and ignoring issues that are a real challenge is a mistaken approach when it comes to resolving Pakistan and India crisis. India’s native terrorism problem appears to have become a major challenge not only for the country but also for the region. A few days ago, the Naxalites attack in India killed around 26 soldiers. This comes in the wake of reports the ISIS has established an operational base in India.
It’s high time that the world takes note of the Indian atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan should lobby with China and other friendly states to ensure that India’s destructive policies in the valley that have triggered violence for years, should be reprimanded. Modi may get a few extra votes with the recent development at the UN. However, Islamabad has been able to extract a major diplomatic win at the UN which is going to serve Pakistan in the long run.
The writer is a freelance journalist and a correspondent for The Diplomat, based in Lahore, Pakista