Pakistan-based terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki, the 68-year-old brother-in-law of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed, has been blacklisted by the UN as a global terrorist on Tuesday, January 17. The blacklisting subjects him to an asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo, after years of efforts by India and its allies.
Notably, India had made listings of Pakistan-based terrorists a top priority of its United Nations tenure during 2021-22. A total of five names were submitted by India for designation under 1267 in 2022: Abdul Rehman Makki (LeT), Abdul Rauf Asghar (Jaish-e-Mohammed, JeM), Sajid Mir (LeT), Shahid Mahmood (LeT), and Talha Saeed (LeT).
Each of these five names was initially placed on technical hold by one member state while all other 14 members of the Council agreed to their listing.
Makki’s case was submitted on June 1, 2022, by India with the US joining as a co-designating state. The member state, China, an all-weather ally of Pakistan, placed a technical hold on 16 June 2022 and after the six-month period again renewed its hold in mid-December, according to the sources.
The UN Security Council’s 1267 al-Qaida Sanctions Committee added 68-year-old Makki to its list of designated terrorists on Monday after China withdrew its hold on a joint proposal by India and the US.
India welcomes the UN’s decision to tag Abdul Rehman Makki as a ‘global terrorist’
India welcomed the decision with the ministry of external affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi saying, “We welcome the decision of the UN Security Council’s ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee to list LeT terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki, who is also the brother-in-law of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed. Makki has occupied various leadership roles in LeT, including raising funds for the organisation,” said the ministry of external affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in response to media queries regarding the global terrorist tag for the deputy chief of the terror outfit.
Our response to media queries regarding listing of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki by UNSC’s ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee:https://t.co/rvaLoGsJTb pic.twitter.com/CM8VyvJRhc
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) January 17, 2023
Arindam Bagchi added that the threats from terrorist organisations in the region remain high. “Listings and sanctions by the UNSC are an effective tool to curb such threats and dismantle terror infrastructure in the region,” he said, adding India remains committed to pursuing a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism and will continue to press the international community to take credible, verifiable and irreversible action against the menace.”
Who is Abdul Rehman Makki?
Abdul Rehman Makki was born in Bahawalpur, Punjab Province of Pakistan. He is the brother-in-law of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed. Abdul Rehman Makki is the second in command of Jamat ud Dawah, a banned terrorist organisation founded by Lashkar-e-Taiba chief and Mumbai blast mastermind Hafiz Saeed.
Makki has already been listed as a terrorist by India and the US under their domestic laws.
He has occupied various leadership roles within LeT, a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). He has also played a role in raising funds for LeT operations.
Makki has been involved in raising funds, recruiting and radicalising youth to violence and planning attacks in India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir.
In 2010, Makki threatened “rivers of blood” in India, for not handing over Kashmir to Pakistan.
On November 4, 2010, the U.S. Department of the Treasury named Makki as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended. As a result of this designation, among other things, all Makki property and interests in property subject to US jurisdiction were blocked, and US people were forbidden from engaging in any transactions with Makki.
Makki, an UN-designated terrorist on whom the US Department of State’s Rewards for Justice placed a USD 2 million bounty, was arrested on May 15, 2019, in Pakistan and placed under house arrest in Lahore. In 2020, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court convicted Makki on one count of terrorism financing and sentenced him to prison, according to the US State Department.
