China’s repeated betrayals on Masood Azhar show Pakistan’s growing importance
China has once again blocked the move, this time by three permanent members of the United Nations SC — U.S.A., UK and France — to designate Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as an international terrorist. The US and the UK have treated India’s case on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism with ambivalence in the past.
Maintaining a political balance in relations with both countries, the view that terrorism from Pakistan derives from the unsolved Kashmir issue, the need for Pakistan’s cooperation in Afghanistan have been considerations that have provided Pakistan space over the years to continue its terrorist depredations.
That these three countries jointly proposed action against the JeM chief indicates a change of mood towards Pakistan against the larger canvas of the rise of the Islamic State and a spate of terrorist attacks in major European countries by Islamist radicals. That China blocked the move indicates, in turn, its determination to shield Pakistan in the UN Security Council (UNSC) on the terrorism issue and disregard the consequences of this not only on India-China relations but also on its international reputation.
China can hardly tout its commitment to combat the menace of international terrorism collectively if it opposes tagging as a terrorist the leader of an organisation already declared one by the UNSC. Because Pakistan claims that terrorism from its soil is the handiwork of “non-state” actors which escape government control should actually make it easier for China to join the UNSC consensus on Masood Azhar.
Designating Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the UN is a tactical step that does not materially change the terrorist threat to us from Pakistan.
But in unembarrassed pessimism on its half, China advocates a consensus however prevents one by temperament to be a part of it. In further dissembling, it accuses India of seeking political gains from nailing down Masood Azhar as a terrorist whereas implying that its own counter-moves to defend Pakistan are not politically driven.
