By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington: Apparently at the behest of Pakistan, China, which wields a veto in the UN Security Council, put a “technical hold” on an Indian request to slap sanctions on three Pakistani terrorists, a leaked State Department cable reveals.
“On the international stage, Pakistan has sought to block the UNSCR 1267 listings of Pakistan-based or affiliated terrorists by requesting that China place holds on the nominations,” says the December 2009 cable signed by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
“China recently placed a technical hold on the designation of three Pakistan-based or affiliated terrorists nominated by India, although China did not prevent the most recent Pakistan-related US designation nomination in June,” says the cable leaked by whistle-blower WikiLeaks.
Also confirming reports of Pakistani spy agency ISI’s continued links with terrorist outfits, the cable says: “Pakistan’s intermittent support to terrorist groups and militant organizations threatens to undermine regional security and endanger US national security objectives in Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
“Although Pakistani senior officials have publicly disavowed support for these groups, some officials from the Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate continue to maintain ties with a wide array of extremist organizations, in particular Taliban, LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba) and other extremist organizations,” it says.
“These extremist organizations continue to find refuge in Pakistan and exploit Pakistan’s extensive network of charities, NGOs and madrassas. This network of social service institutions readily provides extremist organizations with recruits, funding and infrastructure for planning new attacks,” the cable adds.
In the talking points for meetings with the Pakistani leadership, the State Department asked its officials to take up with the Pakistani counterparts about their failure to implement the UNSC resolutions against terrorists outfits, in particular those against India and those involved in the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
“We stress your government’s obligation, under UNSCR 1267, and successor resolutions to strictly enforce existing sanctions against the 142 Taliban, LeT leader Hafiz Saeed, LeT/JUD, al Rashid Trust, al Akhtar Trust and other individuals and entities on the UN 1267 Consolidated List,” the cable said.
“We urge your government to support the international community’s efforts to combat terrorist financing. Your government’s views of UNSCR 1267 listing requests for LeT and other Pakistan-based terrorist groups should be made on the merits of the requests and not linked to politics, including what country made the nomination or which countries are referenced in the public statements of the cases,” it said.
“Emphasize that Pakistan’s support for disrupting financing to the Taliban and LeT obligatory pursuant to their obligations under UNSCR 1267 and successor resolutions, and is critical to achieving stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” the cable added.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at [email protected])