ONE INDIA: BRICS declaration on Pak terror: What happens at the summit remains at the summit
The BRICS declaration recognised several terror groups including Pakistan sponsored ones such as the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad as potential threats. It was an interesting development since China probably for the first time identified the threat posed by Pakistan based groups.
The BRICS or the Xiamen declaration is a good step forward and is also a visible shift in the Chinese stance on Pakistan. The question is how effective will this declaration be and how far would China go from here to pressurise Pakistan to act against these groups which fight a proxy war for the rogue nation. Animesh Roul, Executive Director of Research at the New Delhi-based Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict, tells OneIndia that no doubt it is a visible shift on China's part where Pakistan is concerned. Roul says China may have agreed to this list of groups only because ETIM , IMU or Islamic State names are mentioned in it. So, it is balanced list of groups that pose a threat to BRICS countries and the world at large. India should not be overwhelmed about Chinese agreement on Pakistan based groups and should not expect more at UNSC. However, it is too premature to conclude that Beijing would infleunce or force Pakistan immediately to act against these groups named in the declaration.
History of these kind of biltarelal or multilateral declartions suggest that 'What happens at Summit level, remains at the Summit level', Roul also adds.
So there is nothing to cheer about, especilly in the case of Masood Azhar or Hafeez Saeed. China would not create problem for itself by going against these powerful Pakistani non state actors who can jointy or independently disturb Chinese intertests inside Pakistan. Again, in future Chinese authority will take pretext of the text used in the decalration, such as 'violence caused by' these terror groups. On the ground they don't exist (especilly LeT or JeM). Their new formations are working on humanitarian and education sphere. India failed to convince Pakistan about these individual once heading these banned groups, he also says. Therefore, it would be uphill task for agencies to prove anything against the Lashkar or JeM or their supreme leaders directly.