As Pakistan fails to get into ‘expected' UNSC panels, India in talks with friends
India is working with its partners and friends on the UN Security Council to blunt Pakistan's moves, as Islamabad has been appointed to key counter-terror committees at the UNSC.
Sources in New York told The Indian Express that Pakistan demanded to be the chair of the 1267 Sanctions Committee; 1540 (Non-Proliferation) Sanctions Committee; 1988 (Taliban) Committee and Chair of the 1373 Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC).
Sources said the allocation of positions 'should have been undertaken by January 2025'. It is learnt that a 'lack of consensus and unreasonable demands' by Pakistan prevented a consensus being formed till June 2025. 'The Council members were not happy with this … attitude depicted by the Pakistan,' a source said.
Pakistan had to be satisfied with 'only one full Chairship' — Chair of the 1988 (Taliban) Sanctions Committee [Russia and Guyana are the Vice-Chairs], sources said . The other positions are Vice-Chair of the 1373 CTC [along with France and Russia]; Sanctions Informal Working Group (IWG) [Co-Chair with Greece] and Documentation IWG [Co-chair with Denmark.] 'The… positions allocated to Pakistan is far below its… aspirations,' the source said.
India also chaired the same 1988 (Taliban) Sanctions Committee during its UNSC 2021-22 term along with the Chair of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee.
Sources said the position of Vice-Chair of 1373 CTC which Pakistan was allocated is 'not something very substantive'. 'It is… more ceremonial in nature. Pakistan… has not been able to get its way. India was the Chair of the 1373 CTC in 2022. India had earlier also, during its 2011-12 UNSC term, chaired the 1373 CTC.'
For the first time in the history of the UNSC, an IWG will have two co-Chairs. This can be interpreted as a move by the Council to rein in Pakistan. Despite the Pakistani delegation's visit to the UN, the result is not something Pakistan will be happy with. This reflects Pakistan's standing and credibility in the UN, sources said.
Sources said all the major terrorist attacks and networks have their origins in Pakistan. Some examples are:
Sources said Pakistan's role as a state sponsor of terrorism is well known. 'Out of around 254 individuals and 89 entities designated in the 1267 Sanctions Committee (Al-Qaeda and ISIL), Pakistan has the unrivalled distinction of over 50 individuals and entities linked to it designated in the 1267 Sanctions Committee… it is Pakistan which is at unease… that more of its nationals and entities will be added to the Sanctions Committees/Regimes.' The source said India will be working 'closely with friends' in the Council.
Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Editor at The Indian Express, has been a journalist for more than 25 years now. Roy joined The Indian Express in October 2003 and has been reporting on foreign affairs for more than 17 years now. Based in Delhi, he has also led the National government and political bureau at The Indian Express in Delhi — a team of reporters who cover the national government and politics for the newspaper. He has got the Ramnath Goenka Journalism award for Excellence in Journalism '2016. He got this award for his coverage of the Holey Bakery attack in Dhaka and its aftermath. He also got the IIMCAA Award for the Journalist of the Year, 2022, (Jury's special mention) for his coverage of the fall of Kabul in August 2021 — he was one of the few Indian journalists in Kabul and the only mainstream newspaper to have covered the Taliban's capture of power in mid-August, 2021. ... Read More
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