UNSC Sanction committee blacklist lashkar’s makki

Subject : International Relations

Section: International Organisation

Concept :

Pakistan-based leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Abdul Rehman Makki was designated a global terrorist by the UN Security Council.
This came after China dropped its technical hold over a proposal to list him under the UNSC’s ISIL (Da’esh) and Al Qaida Sanctions Committee.
India and the US had jointly proposed in June, 2022 to list Makki as a global terrorist under UNSC 1267 Committee.
However, China had blocked the move by placing a technical hold on the proposal.
Placing a technical hold effectively blocks the proposal until it is withdrawn.
This measure (Technical hold) can last for up to six months at a time under the Security Council’s procedures.
Makki was a fundraiser and key planner of the Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

UNSC Al-Qaeda and ISIL Sanctions Committee

The ISIL (Da-esh) and Al Qaida sanctions committee is also known as the 1267 sanctions committee.
It is one of the most important UN subsidiary bodies working to combat terrorism, particularly in relation to ISIL (Da’esh), Al‑Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities.
This committee oversees the implementation of sanctions pursuant to UNSC resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015).

Sanctions regime of UNSC

Under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the UN Security Council can take action to maintain or restore international peace and security.
The application of sanctions is one of the possibilities the Council has in this respect.
Sanctions measures, under Article 41 of the UN Charter, encompass a broad range of enforcement options that do not involve the use of armed force.
The measures can range from economic and trade embargoes to more targeted measures against specific individuals, companies or entities, such as the freezing of funds and travel bans.
Currently, the UNSC has 14 active sanctions regimes.
Sanctions regimes are enacted via a UNSC
The sanctions regimes focus on supporting political processes in armed conflicts, nuclear non-proliferation and counter-terrorism.

Sanctions committee of UNSC

Each sanctions regime is administered by a sanctions committee that consists of all 15 members of the Security Council.
15 members include – 5 permanent member and 10 non-permanent members of UNSC.
These sanctions committees ensure the implementation of the sanctions and can decide by consensus to adopt targeted sanctions against specific individuals, enterprises or entities.
UNSC Al-Qaeda and ISIL Sanctions Committee or 1267 sanctions committee is one of such committee.

Functions of UNSC sanctions committee

Once an entity or an individual is included in the list it gets designated as the “Global Terrorist”.
The member states are required to:
- freeze funds and financial assets of that individual/entity,
- enforce a travel ban, and
- cut off access to arms and related materials.