New Delhi: The government of India does not believe Pakistan’s claims that it is cracking down on terrorist organisations that have their bases in that country. According to a government top official, India is keen to see that Pakistan takes some “demonstrable” action on terrorists and terror outfits that are located inside its territory.
Pakistan Tuesday claimed to have arrested 44 members of banned outfits, including a brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, amid mounting pressure from the global community to rein in the terror groups operating on its soil and curb their financing.
Mufti Abdur Rauf, brother of Azhar, and Hammad Azhar are among those arrested during the crackdown, Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi said at a press conference.
He said a dossier shared by India with Pakistan last week also contained names of Mufti Abdur Rauf and Hammad Azhar. He, however, said the action was not taken due to any pressure.
The minister said action would be taken against all the proscribed organisations. However, the Indian official, who wished to remain anonymous, said India wants “Naya Pakistan”, as Prime Minister Imran Khan has branded it, to take “naya action” on terrorists, and not put “old wine in a new bottle”.
This comes after Pakistan claimed it had taken action on some terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Jamaat-ud-Dawa and the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation among others.
Also read: Pakistan arrests Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar’s brother Mufti Abdur Rauf
UN sanctions against Masood Azhar
In order to get JeM chief Masood Azhar listed as a global terrorist at the UN, sources said India is in constant dialogue with the P5, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, to move the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee, which has the power to enlist him as an internationally-recognised terrorist.
At present, the UNSC is seeking clarifications from countries, the deadline for which is 13 March, after which the 1267 committee will meet and could officially enlist him.
However, the main hurdle in this process could remain China. Beijing has thrice vetoed attempts to tag Azhar a global terrorist, but this time, India is hopeful China may finally come on board and support it as it was one of the 15 countries that adopted the UN’s statement on condemning the Pulwama terror attack.
Sources also said India is being able to diplomatically isolate Pakistan through various platforms like the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Financial Action Task Force.
Also read: Jaish-e-Mohammed admits Indian attack on Balakot, urges Pakistanis to join Kashmir jihad
(With inputs from PTI)
1. It is good that things are getting back to normal after Pulwama attack and subsequent air strikes by India. But ‘Naya Pakistan’ should recognize ground realities, first of which is that Kashmir is and will remain a part of the Indian Union. 2. We are aware of fact that a section of Pakistani army as also a few politicians of Pakistan wish to establish friendly ties with India but since a majority still believes in not accepting ground realities about Kashmir, the Kashmir has become a vexatious issue. 3. Is it not a fact that the Pakistani Army, almost all politicians of Pakistan, whether in government or out of it, and irrespective of party affiliations and most citizens of Pakistan honestly believe that Kashmir, being a Muslim majority province, can never be a part of India? 4. Fact is that no politician of Pakistan and no Chief of Pakistan’s Army can hope to survive in today’s Pakistan without making a vehement demand for Kashmir’s freedom or azadi. 5. We know that today Pakistan has NO place for dissent. Very few Pakistanis, amongst Pakistan’s intelligentsia, can speak freely and say that Pakistan should accept unchallengeable situation that Kashmir is and will remain a part of the Indian Union. In India too there are many amongst our intelligentsia who believe that Kashmir deserves azadi, but version of azadi differs from individual to individual and from one political party to other. 6. I wish to know how many amongst Kashmir’s politicians are ready to acknowledge that had Kashmir become a part of Pakistan, people of Kashmir would have been treated very badly, like people of East Pakistan, who ultimately and wisely broke away from Pakistan.