LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1703
TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2017
FOREIGN BASED TERRORISTS
†1703. SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is making efforts at international level to punish foreign based Terrorists;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the veto has been exercised by China against the nabbing of terrorists recently and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government has lodged its protest against the same; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]
(a) & (b) Yes, the Government is continuously making efforts at all levels internationally, to address this issue including in bilateral interactions, as well as in regional and international fora. The matter is also vigorously pursued with Governments of
other countries through the established mechanism of Joint Working Groups on Counter-Terrorism. India’s recent interactions under this framework include - France (June 2014, December, 2015 and January, 2017); China (November, 2015); Australia (August 2014
and December, 2016); USA (July, 2016); UK (August, 2016); Germany (October, 2016); Italy (November, 2016); Russia (January, 2017); Canada (February, 2017); Egypt (January, 2016); Tajikistan (June, 2016); Tanzania (February, 2016); and Singapore (November,
2016).
(c) In February 2016 Government approached the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee established under Resolutions 1267/1989/2253 with the proposal to designate Masood Azhar under the 1267 sanction regime. It was emphasized that while the Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed
(JeM) had been designated by the 1267 Committee as far back as 2001 for its well-known terror activities and links to the Al Qaeda, the Committee had still not designated Masood Azhar who is JeM’s main leader, financier and motivator. The working procedures
(guidelines) of the 1267 Committee stipulate that if an entity (organization) is designated by the Committee, its main leaders should also be designated.
The requirement to designate Masood Azhar is, therefore, self-evident to all members of the 1267 Committee. The Committee decided to place India's request on a six-month hold, which was extended by a further 3 month period on 1 October, 2016. China, on 29 December,
2016, informed the 1267 Sanctions committee of their decision to convert the 'technical hold' into a 'block' before the expiry of the technical hold period on 31 December, 2016.
(d) & (e) Government of India has raised this issue with China at various levels, including at the highest level, and has pointed out that China's position on listing of well known terrorists under the 1267 Sanctions regime should be in consonance with its
stated positions on terrorism.
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