India's renewed bid to put Pathankot terror attack mastermind Masood Azhar on UN list of proscribed terrorist

Home Ministry has constituted  committee to expedite the procedures required to place Masood Azhar and his brother Abdul Rauf among 10 others on the United Nations list of proscribed terrorists.

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Masood Azhar
Masood Azhar

In Short

  • India to give fresh proposal to United Nations on Masood Azhar.
  • MHA to expedite procedure required to place Azhar on UN list of proscribed terrorists.
  • 3-member committee formed, to send report to MEA in 15 days.

After China put a technical hold on designating Masood Azhar as an international terrorist in April this year, India has decided to give a fresh proposal to the United Nation.

The Home Ministry has constituted a three-member committee to expedite the procedures required to place Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar and his brother Abdul Rauf among 10 others on the United Nations list of proscribed terrorists.

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PANEL TO SEND REPORT TO MEA IN 15 DAYS

A three-member committee comprising IB, NIA and Home Ministry officials has been formed, and they have been asked to send a final report to the MEA in the next 15 days.

The move comes after several rounds of file movement between the Home and the External Affairs Ministries blaming each other for the delay in sending the proposal to the 1267 Taliban/al Qaeda sanctions committee.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was of the view that the proposal sent by the Home Ministry was not strong enough.

Following this, it was decided that a fresh proposal would be sent after incorporating further inputs from the National Investigation Agency and the intelligence wings.

The NIA, which is probing the Pathankot terror attack, had been asked to furnish details gathered by it of Azhar's role in the entire conspiracy. India will use this information to renew its bid to put Azhar's name on the UN list.ABDUL RAUF'S ROLE

Azhar's younger brother Abdul Rauf, who was directing the Jaish terrorists on the phone when they attacked the Pathankot airbase on January 2 this year, also features on the list. Rauf's role in the hijack of IC-814 in 1999, which led to the release of Azhar, will also be incorporated.

NIA investigation into the case is almost over with agency ready to file chargesheet in the case in the next two months. The evidence is not only physical but also digital and technical, with assistance coming from FBI. The effort is to make a fool-proof case which can withstand international scrutiny.

Also read:

Pathankot attack: Interpol issues Red Corner notice against Masood Azhar

Pathankot terror attack: NIA gathers proof against mastermind Maulana Masood Azhar, Abdul Rauf