If the proposal is passed, Pakistan-based terror group JeM chief Masood Azhar will be tagged as a 'UN-designated global terrorist', which in turn would subject him to a global travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo.
Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, a new attempt has been made at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for listing Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar as a “global terrorist”. The fresh proposal has been moved by the US, the UK and France. The security council now has 10 working days to consider it.
If the proposal is passed, Pakistan-based terror group JeM chief Masood Azhar will be tagged as a ‘UN-designated global terrorist’, which in turn would subject him to a global travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo.
The statement is significant because China has singlehandedly blocked the listing of Masood Azhar as a “global terrorist” at the UN Security Council Resolution 1267 sanctions committee for the last 10 years. At least three attempts in the last decade — in 2009, 2016 and 2017 — have been blocked by Beijing at Pakistan’s behest.
India had started pushing for Azhar’s listing since 2008-09, after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The most recent effort began after India blamed JeM for the attack on the IAF base in Pathankot on January 2, 2016, and proposed a month later to designate Azhar as a global terrorist. But China intervened at Pakistan’s behest and placed a technical hold on India’s move in March and again in October 2016. It subsequently used its veto power to block the proposal in December 2016, a day before the technical hold ended.
China, a close ally of Pakistan, has consistently blocked moves first by India and later by the US, the UK and France to designate Azhar as a global terrorist by the 1267 Committee by putting technical holds. France assumes the crucial rotating presidency of the UN Security Council in March.
After 40 CRPF officers were killed in Pulwama, China signed off on a statement that “condemned in the strongest terms”the Pulwama terror attack and named Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad for the “heinous and cowardly suicide bombing”. It, however, downplayed the statement later saying the mention of the JeM was only in “general terms” and “does not represent a judgement”.
The latest move comes two days after India conducted air strikes at a terror camp run by Masood Azhar’s kin. Calling it a “non-military preemptive strike,” India said it had launched the attack based on credible information about another suicide attack by JeM in the country. A day later, Pakistan violated Indian airspace and attempted airstrikes but caused little damage on the ground. An IAF pilot, Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was, however, captured and remains in the custody of the Pakistani forces.
If the proposal is passed, Pakistan-based terror group JeM chief Masood Azhar will be tagged as a ‘UN-designated global terrorist’, which in turn would subject him to a global travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo.
The statement is significant because China has singlehandedly blocked the listing of Masood Azhar as a “global terrorist” at the UN Security Council Resolution 1267 sanctions committee for the last 10 years. At least three attempts in the last decade — in 2009, 2016 and 2017 — have been blocked by Beijing at Pakistan’s behest.
India had started pushing for Azhar’s listing since 2008-09, after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The most recent effort began after India blamed JeM for the attack on the IAF base in Pathankot on January 2, 2016, and proposed a month later to designate Azhar as a global terrorist. But China intervened at Pakistan’s behest and placed a technical hold on India’s move in March and again in October 2016. It subsequently used its veto power to block the proposal in December 2016, a day before the technical hold ended.
China, a close ally of Pakistan, has consistently blocked moves first by India and later by the US, the UK and France to designate Azhar as a global terrorist by the 1267 Committee by putting technical holds. France assumes the crucial rotating presidency of the UN Security Council in March.
After 40 CRPF officers were killed in Pulwama, China signed off on a statement that “condemned in the strongest terms”the Pulwama terror attack and named Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad for the “heinous and cowardly suicide bombing”. It, however, downplayed the statement later saying the mention of the JeM was only in “general terms” and “does not represent a judgement”.
The latest move comes two days after India conducted air strikes at a terror camp run by Masood Azhar’s kin. Calling it a “non-military preemptive strike,” India said it had launched the attack based on credible information about another suicide attack by JeM in the country. A day later, Pakistan violated Indian airspace and attempted airstrikes but caused little damage on the ground. An IAF pilot, Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was, however, captured and remains in the custody of the Pakistani forces.