India has welcomed the United National Security Council’s (UNSC) decision to blacklist Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) deputy chief Abdul Rehman Makki as a ‘global terrorist’.
Makki, the brother-in-law of LeT chief and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, has been designated under the UNSC 1267 Committee, popularly known as the sanctions committee. The blacklisting would subject Makki to an assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.
“We welcome the decision of the UN Security Council’s ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee to list Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki, who is also the brother-in-law of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed. Makki has occupied various leadership roles in LeT, including raising funds for the organization,” said the ministry of external affairs (MEA).
In a statement, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also said that the UNSC action will be effective in the fight against global terror. “Threats from terrorist organizations in the region remain high and listings and sanctions by the UNSC, are an effective tool to curb such threats and dismantle terror infrastructure in the region”, he said.
“India remains committed to pursuing a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism and will continue to press the international community to take credible, verifiable and irreversible action against terrorism,” he further said.
Makki’s designation was made possible after China lifted a technical hold. In June last year, New Delhi slammed Beijing for blocking the proposal to list Makki.
On June 1 last year, India and the US jointly proposed to list Makki under the UN Security Council’s 1267 Committee but the proposal could not sail through as China put a hold on it. On several occasions, Pakistan’s all-weather ally China has put roadblocks to proposals against Pakistani interests.
Born in Bahawalpur city of Pakistan’s Punjab province in 1954, Makki is the head of the political affairs wing of LeT/Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JUD). He also served as head of LeT’s foreign relations department and a member of shura (governing body).
Makki has been involved in raising funds, recruiting and radicalizing youth to commit violence and planning attacks in India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir.