WASHINGTON: The US has designated Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen as a “foreign terrorist organisation”, a day after President Donald Trump called PM Narendra Modi to greet him on Indian Independence Day. Labelling of the terrorist outfit as an FTO means the outfit will face financial sanctions.
Trump administration's decision to designate Hizbul chief Syed Salahuddin a “global terrorist” came just ahead of Modi's meeting with the US Prez in June. The recent announcement is also seen as a sign of US-India proximity on strategic issues at a time when India remains in a military deadlock with China near the Sikkim-Tibet-Bhutan tri-junction. The US decision is also seen as an act of solidarity with India in its fight against terrorism and jihadi outfits operating out of Pakistan with the support of the Pakistani army and ISI.
The US State Department released a statement saying it has designated “Hizbul Mujahideen - also known as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, also known as HM, as a foreign terrorist organisation under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a specially designated global terrorist (SDGT) under section1 (b) of executive order 13224.” The US government said in its statement that declaring Hizbul Mujahideen a “foreign terrorist organisation” will have consequences like HM property and finances in the United States being blocked and a ban on American citizens engaging in any transactions with the group.
Lately, India's efforts to designate terrorists such a Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar operating from Pakistan enlisted at UN have been vetoed by China. Hibzul recently named Mohammad Bin Qasim as its new chief in Kashmir after the death of its operations chief Yasin Yatoo. The outfit has been particularly involved in a series of attacks on security forces deployed in Jammu and Kashmir in last one-and-a-half years.
