Masood Azhar terror tag: China blocks UN move yet again

New Delhi: Confirming India’s worst fears at the UN, China once again on Wednesday vetoed and put “on hold” a proposal at the UN Security Council to list Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed’s (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. Responding to the Chinese veto, India, in a late night reaction, said it was “disappointed” by the outcome.

The proposal was the fourth such bid at the UN in the last 10 years to list Azhar as a global terrorist.

New Delhi said that Beijing’s move “has prevented action by the international community to designate the chief of JeM, a proscribed and active terrorist organisation which has claimed responsibility for the Pulwama  attack in Jammu and Kashmir on  February 14”.

India also said it would pursue “all available avenues” to bring terrorists to justice. The developments are being seen as a setback to India and Sino-Indian ties and also a major victory for China’s all-weather friend Pakistan. India did not directly refer to China by name in its reaction.

In a statement late on Wednesday night, the MEA said, “The ISIS (Da’esh) and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee (1267 Sanctions Committee), upon completion of the no-objection period on March 13, 2019, was not able to come to a decision on the proposal for listing Mohammed Masood Azhar Alvi under the UN Sanctions regime, on account of a member placing the proposal on hold.” The MEA added, “We are grateful for the efforts of the member states who moved the designation proposal and the unprecedented number of all other Security Council members as well as non-members who joined as co-sponsors. We will continue to pursue all available avenues to ensure that terrorist leaders who are involved in heinous attacks on our citizens are brought to justice.”

China had earlier on Wednesday hinted that it may once again block the move, saying only “the solution that is acceptable to all sides” is conducive to resolve the issue. Observers also point out that this is another indication that Beijing does not want to jeopardise the huge financial investments it has made in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as also the goodwill it has in Pakistan.

China had in the past few years too blocked the move by India and powerful western nations the US, UK and France to get Azhar listed as a designated terrorist under the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council (UNSC).

The US, UK and France had again moved a resolution at the UNSC following the Pulwama attack to get Azhar banned by the UN. Of the UNSC P-5 countries — US, Russia, UK, France and China that enjoy the veto power — it was China alone which had been blocking these efforts.