Lok Sabha Question No. 1703 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-26
Subject: Foreign based Terrorists
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1703 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2017

## FOREIGN BASED TERRORISTS

- † 1703. SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  making  efforts  at  international level to punish foreign based Terrorists;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  veto  has  been  exercised  by  China  against  the nabbing of terrorists recently and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  lodged  its  protest  against  the same; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) & (b) Yes,  the  Government  is  continuously  making  efforts  at all levels internationally, to address this issue including in bilateral interactions,  as  well  as  in  regional  and  international  fora.  The matter  is also vigorously  pursued  with  Governments  of  other countries  through  the  established  mechanism  of  Joint  Working Groups on Counter-Terrorism. India's recent interactions under this framework  include  -  France  (June  2014,  December,  2015  and January, 2017); China (November, 2015); Australia (August 2014 and December,  2016);  USA  (July,  2016);  UK  (August,  2016);  Germany (October,  2016);  Italy  (November,  2016);  Russia  (January,  2017); Canada (February, 2017);  Egypt  (January,    2016);  Tajikistan  (June, 2016); Tanzania (February, 2016); and Singapore (November, 2016).

(c) In  February  2016  Government  approached  the  UN  Security Council Sanctions Committee established under Resolutions 1267/1989/2253 with the proposal to designate Masood Azhar under the  1267  sanction  regime.  It  was  emphasized  that  while  the Pakistan  based  Jaish-e-Mohammed  (JeM)  had  been  designated  by the  1267  Committee  as  far  back  as  2001  for  its  well-known  terror activities  and  links  to  the  Al  Qaeda,  the  Committee  had  still  not designated  Masood  Azhar  who  is  JeM's  main  leader,  financier  and motivator. The working procedures (guidelines) of the 1267 Committee stipulate that if an entity (organization) is designated by the Committee, its main leaders should also be designated. The requirement to designate Masood Azhar is, therefore, selfevident  to  all  members  of  the  1267  Committee.    The  Committee decided  to  place  India's  request  on  a  six-month  hold,  which  was extended by a further 3 month period on 1 October, 2016.  China, on 29 December, 2016, informed the 1267 Sanctions committee of their decision  to  convert  the  'technical  hold'  into  a  'block'  before  the expiry of the technical hold period on 31 December, 2016. (d)  &  (e)  Government  of  India  has  raised  this  issue  with  China  at various  levels,  including  at  the  highest  level,  and  has  pointed  out that  China's  position  on  listing  of  well  known  terrorists  under  the 1267  Sanctions  regime  should  be  in  consonance  with  its  stated positions on terrorism.

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