China Blocks Proposal at UN to Blacklist Pak-based Terrorist and 26/11 Accused Sajid Mir

China on Tuesday blocked a proposal, moved by India and the US at the United Nations, to blacklist Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Sajid Mir, who is wanted for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, as a global terrorist.

The proposal moved by the US and co-designated by India was meant to designate Mir under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council as a global terrorist and attach his assets, besides clamping a travel ban on him.

In September last year, it was learnt that China had put a hold on the proposal to blacklist Mir at the UN. Beijing has now blocked the proposal.

Who is Sajid Mir?

LeT terrorist Mir is one of India’s most wanted terrorists, carrying a bounty of USD 5 million placed on his head for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

In June, Mir was jailed for over 15 years in a terror-financing case by an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan. Pakistani authorities had in the past claimed Mir had died, but Western countries remained unconvinced and demanded proof of his death.

This issue became a major sticking point in FATF’s assessment of Pakistan’s progress on the action plan late last year. Mir is a senior member of the Pakistan-based LeT and is wanted for his involvement in the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

“Mir was LeT’s operations manager for the attacks, playing a leading role in their planning, preparation, and execution”, the US State Department has said.

Beijing, an all-weather friend of Islamabad, has repeatedly put holds on listings to blacklist Pakistan-based terrorists under the sanctions committee of the UN Security Council.