UNSC lists Masood Azhar as global terrorist after China lifts hold
02 May 2019
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The United Nations Security Council has listed Masood Azhar, head of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) a global terrorist, after China lifted a technical hold on a French-sponsored resolution, handing India a major diplomatic win.
The designation will subject Masood Azhar and his terrorist outfit to a global assets freeze, travel ban and an arms embargo.
Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar was on 1 May listed as a "designated" global terrorist by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) 1267 Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee.
JeM had claimed responsibility for the deadly Pulwama terror attack that had martyred 40 of India's security personnel.
"Big, small, all join together. Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist in @UN Sanctions list. Grateful to all for their support," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador, Syed Akbaruddin, tweeted on Monday
News agency ANI, quoting top government sources, said that the JeM chief was put under house arrest at Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur on 26 February, post Balakot air strike. He was recently shifted to a safe house in Islamabad, the report said.
The listing comes after China lifted its technical hold, placed on 13 March, on the move sponsored by the United States, United Kingdom and France.
It was the fourth time that China had blocked Azhar's listing as a global terrorist.
India had, at that time, called the move "disappointing" and stated that it will "continue to pursue all available avenues to ensure that terrorists involved in attacks on Indian citizens are brought to justice".
The US, the UK and France had stepped up pressure on Beijing by taking the issue directly to the UNSC.
Though China can exercise its veto power as a permanent member of the UNSC, Beijing had staunchly opposed the issue to be taken to the apex UN body as it had to publically explain its stand on its reservations to list Azhar, whose group JeM has already been designated as terror outfit by UN, before exercising its veto.
China had accused the US of scuttling progress to resolve the issue by taking it to the UNSC and insisted that it should be resolved at the 1267 Committee whose proceedings are not publicised.
But, on 30 April, China said the issue will be "properly resolved" and that they see a "positive progress" but had not provided a timeline.
India's Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had taken up the issue of China blocking Azhar’s terror listing during his visit to China on 22 April.
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