Failure to designate Masood Azhar as global terrorist against regional stability, peace: US
Washington: Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar meets the criteria to be designated as a "global terrorist" by the UN and China's opposition to the move counters a mutual interest in achieving regional stability and peace, the US has said.
State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino's remarks came on the eve of a crucial decision by the UN Security Council on listing Azhar as a global terrorist.
The JeM, headed by the 50-year-old Azhar, carried out many terror strikes in India and was involved in the attack on Parliament, the Pathankot air force base, army camps in Jammu and Uri. It also claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama suicide attack which left 40 CRPF personnel dead.
In the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, three permanent members of the UNSC - the US, Britain and France - have moved a resolution to designate Azhar as a global terrorist under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council.
All eyes are on China, which has in the past blocked India's bids to get Azhar listed as a UN-designated global terrorist.
"Azhar is the founder and the leader of the JeM, and he meets the criteria for designation by the United Nations," Palladino told reporters at his daily news conference.
The JeM, he said, has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks and is a threat to regional stability and peace.
The US and India work closely together on counterterrorism efforts, and that includes at the United Nations, he added, noting that their views on the JeM and its founder are well known.
However, he refrained from making a direct comment on the deliberations inside the UN on this issue.
"The United Nations Sanctions Committee, their deliberations, are confidential, and as such we don't comment on specific matters, but we'll continue to work with the Sanctions Committee to ensure that the designation list is updated and accurate," Palladino said.
"The United States and China share a mutual interest in achieving regional stability and peace, and that a failure to designate Azhar would run counter to this goal," Palladino said in response to a question on previous successful attempts by China to block the UN designation of Azhar.
China, which is one of the five veto-wielding members of the Security Council, blocked India's efforts in the past to list Azhar as a global terrorist, saying there is not enough evidence against him.
Amidst a mounting global outrage in the wake of the Pulwama attack that led to a flare-up in tensions between India and Pakistan, the US, Britain and France hope that Beijing would act wisely and would not oppose their move this time.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Lok Sabha extends tenure of parliamentary panel on Waqf bill
New Delhi (PTI): The Lok Sabha on Thursday adopted a resolution to extend the tenure of the Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill till the last day of the Budget session of Parliament next year.
Committee Chairman and BJP leader Jagdambika Pal moved the resolution in the Lok Sabha, which approved it with a voice vote.
The parliamentary panel’s meetings have become a virtual battleground between the opposition and the ruling party members, who have been vociferously debating the changes to the Waqf Bill proposed by the government.
On Wednesday, the opposition members of the committee staged a walkout and slammed Pal for asserting that the panel's draft report was ready.
Pal and the BJP members of the committee then reached out to opposition members and indicated their willingness to press for an extension of the committee's deadline of November 29 to submit its report to the Lok Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had constituted the committee on August 8 and asked to submit its report on the last day of the first week of the Winter session, which is on Friday.
Following the last meeting of the committee on November 21, Pal had said its draft report is ready. He indicated that the committee's consultation with stakeholders is over and its members will now discuss the report and suggest changes, if any, before it is adopted.
The opposition members took strong exception to this stand in Wednesday's meeting and soon stormed out. They claimed that Birla had assured them that its tenure would be extended.
Opposition parties have stridently criticised the amendments proposed by the bill in the existing Waqf Act, alleging they violate the religious rights of Muslims.
The ruling BJP has asserted that the amendments will bring transparency in the functioning of the waqf boards and make them accountable.
