Pak terror groups thrive as UN sanctions prove futile

India's push to ban TRF underscores the futility of UN action against Pakistan-backed terror groups.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

One of the key components of the Indian government's multi-level diplomatic approach against Pakistan-based terror groups is its ongoing effort to seek a United Nations ban on The Resistance Front (TRF).

The activities of this organization, first reported by this newspaper in April 2020 in the article "Kashmir's Resistance Front in Lashkar", are directed by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commanders.

It is pertinent to note that Lashkar-e-Taiba was designated a terrorist organization by the United Nations Security Council under Resolution 1267 on May 2, 2008. Following increased global scrutiny and intense lobbying from India, the group rebranded itself as Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) for public consumption. However, this organization was also designated a terrorist group by the UN Security Council under the same resolution on December 10, 2008.

Despite these designations, the actions taken by the UN and its affiliated agencies have produced no tangible results on the ground.

Since being banned, Lashkar has continued to carry out major terror attacks against India, including the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and the September 2013 twin attacks in Jammu.