Why did china go out of its way to help a terrorist?

India saw UNSC resolution 1267 going down the tube, vetoed by the Chinese on dubious ‘technical’ grounds, but it won some good brownie points. For one, the move to proscribe Masood Azhar as a global terrorist was a collective initiative. France moved it, along with the US and UK, and it is now going ahead with steps to freeze the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief’s assets in France.

(It’s indeed a chilling revelation that the Jaish chief has a global footprint, much beyond the backyards of Bahawalpur.) No less than 10 non-permanent UNSC members co-sponsored the resolution, so China’s position stood out as unpopular. Indeed, even in parts of Islamabad, Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s rivals, as also the civil society, have attacked him for protecting a terrorist while jailing political opponents. 

If reports based on background briefings at the UN are anything to go by, while India was not exactly surprised with the fourth Chinese veto, though it hoped for better sense to prevail, Islamabad may have been. Why did Beijing go out of its way to secure a dubious strategic asset of the Pakistani deep state, risking its own reputation? Unless it suits Beijing to keep India on the boil.

Still, it’s India that secured a moral advantage: It won the perception battle on the international stage. No one doubts that Pakistan harbours the Jaish chief, and provides logistical support to his terror infrastructure within its territory. India had presented a watertight case. Even the resolution is not really dead. 

There are reasons, however, why a proscription would be a largely symbolic thing. Yes, the utility value of such symbolism would have been high in this election season. But nothing concrete will change unless Islamabad is actually forced (or convinced) to stop its proxy war through terrorism and indoctrinated youth. After all, Lashkar-e-Taiba bossman Hafiz Saeed roams free, spreading venom against India, despite a UN blacklisting.