China finally backs ban on Jamaat-ud-Dawa

Islamabad: The UN Security Council's decision to ban the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) as a global terrorist organisation had become possible only because China, which had blocked three similar attempts, finally gave its nod for the UN resolution, a media report yesterday said.

Quoting diplomatic analysts, The News said this change came as a result of the pressure created by the Mumbai terror attacks.

The Al Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council on Wednesday approved the addition of four entries - including the JuD and its chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed - to its consolidated list of individuals and entities whose assets are frozen.

"According to foreign office sources, three resolutions seeking a ban on the JuD, tabled before the UN Security Council since 2003, had been put on technical hold by Beijing, while using its veto right being one of the five permanent UNSC members," The News said.

"Each time the Al Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee of the Security Council tabled a resolution to include the Jamaat-ud-Dawa in the list of terrorist groups, China blocked the move, while seeking credible evidence from the United Nations indicating JuD's terror links," the newspaper added.

"The Chinese authorities reportedly used to intervene in the past on the request of the Musharraf regime. However, it had become hard for Beijing to vote against the move in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks and the evidence furnished by the Indian authorities," The News noted.