Abdur Rehman Makki, deputy chief of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and brother-in-law of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, has been designated as a “global terrorist by the United National Security Council (UNSC) Sanctions Committee.
The blacklisting under the UNSC 1267 Committee would subject Makki to an assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.
His 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 16 January 2023, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida, and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities approved the addition of the entry specified below to its ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1 of Security Council resolution 2610 (2021) and adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,” the UNSC said in a statement.
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 radicalising youth to commit violence and planning attacks in India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir.
The UNSC said he has been listed for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of, recruiting for, otherwise supporting acts or activities of and either owned or controlled, directly or indirectly by or otherwise supporting” LeT.
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.
He is also a member of JUD’s Markazi (Central) team and Daawati (proselytization) team and is wanted by the Indian government.
He has been involved in the following attacks:
1) Red Fort attack: Six LeT terrorists stormed Red Fort on December 22, 2000, and opened indiscriminate fire on the security forces guarding the historic building.
2) Rampur attack: Five LeT terrorists attacked a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh on January 1, 2008, killing seven personnel and a rickshaw puller.
3) 26/11 Mumbai attack: LeT’s most audacious terrorist attack in India came in November 2008 when 10 terrorists entered Mumbai via the Arabian Sea with pre-decided targets. One terrorist Amir Ajmal Kasab was caught alive while the rest were killed.
4) Karan Nagar, Srinagar attack: In February 2018, a suicide squad of LET stormed into CRPF’s 23 Battalion camp in Karan Nagar area of Srinagar, killing a trooper and injuring a policeman.
5) Khanpora, Baramulla attack: On May 30, 2018, three civilians were shot dead by LeT terrorists in Baramulla town of North Kashmir.
6) Srinagar attack: Senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari and his two personal security officers (PSOs) were shot by LeT terrorists on June 14, 2018.
7) Gurez/Bandipora attack: Four Army soldiers including a Major were killed as the Army foiled a major infiltration bid by heavily armed LeT terrorists along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Gurez Sector of Bandipora district on August 7, 2018.
Makki was arrested on May 15, 2019, by the Pakistan government and was under house arrest in Lahore. In 2020, a Pakistani court convicted him of financing terrorism and sentenced him to prison.