UNITED NATIONS (Web Desk) – China has blocked India’s move in the United Nations, demanding action against Pakistan over release of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, alleged mastermind of Mumbai attacks.
As the UN sanctions committee met here at India’s request on Wednesday, a clarification was to be sought from Pakistan over Lakhvi’s release in the 26/11 trial but the Chinese representatives blocked the move on grounds that India did not provide sufficient information.
In a letter to the current chair of the UN sanctions committee Jim McLay, India’s permanent representative to the UN Asoke Mukherjee last month had said Lakhvi’s release by a Pakistani court was in violation of the 1267 UN resolution dealing with designated entities and individuals.
The sanctions measures apply to designated individuals and entities associated with terror groups including al-Qaeda and LeT, wherever located.
Read more: UN assures India of taking up Lakhvi’s release issue
The sanctions’ committee has five permanent and 10 non-permanent UN member states in it.
The release of Lakhvi had also raised concerns in the US, UK, Russia, France and Germany with Washington calling for him to be re-arrested.
Lakhvi and six others – Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum – have been accused of planning and executing the Mumbai attack in November, 2008 that left 166 people dead.
Lakhvi, 55, a close relative of LeT founder and Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, was arrested in December 2008 and was indicted along with the six others on November 25, 2009 in connection with the 26/11 attack case. The trial has been underway since 2009.
Read more: Lakhvi released from Adiala jail, India fumes
A Pakistani court had on April 9 set free Lakhvi, a development which India said “eroded” the value of assurances repeatedly conveyed to it by Pakistan.
