UNITED NATIONS: In a huge diplomatic win for India, the United Nations on Wednesday designated Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a “global terrorist” after China lifted its hold on a proposal to blacklist him.
A UNSC designation will subject Azhar to an assets freeze, travel ban and an arms embargo.
China removed its hold on the proposal, which was moved by France, UK and the US in the Security Council’s 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee in February just days after the deadly Pulwama terror attack carried out by the Pakistan-based terror outfit JeM.
A veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, China was the sole hold-out in the 15-nation body on the bid to blacklist Azhar, blocking attempts by placing a “technical hold” and asking for “more time to examine” the proposal.
The sanctions committee makes its decisions by consensus of its Members. In recent days, there had been indications that China is likely to come around and will lift its hold on the Azhar proposal. Beijing had said on Tuesday that the vexed issue of designating Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN will be “properly resolved.”
Beijing put the hold on the proposal on March 13, scuttling yet another attempt to blacklist the JeM chief. The proposal was the fourth such bid at the UN in the last 10 years to list Azhar as a global terrorist.
In 2009, India moved a proposal by itself to designate Azhar. In 2016 again India moved the proposal with the P3 – the United States, the United Kingdom and France in the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee to ban Azhar, also the mastermind of the attack on the air base in Pathankot in January, 2016.
In 2017, the P3 nations moved a similar proposal again. However, on all occasions China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, blocked India’s proposal from being adopted by the Sanctions Committee.
Keeping up the international pressure to designate Azhar as a global terrorist, the US, supported by France and the UK, moved a draft resolution directly in the UN Security Council to blacklist the Pakistan-based terror organization’s head.
Beijing lifting its hold is a massive diplomatic win for India, which had relentlessly pursued the matter with its international allies. There had been sustained international pressure on China, particularly from the US, to remove its objection to Azhar’s listing.
Hectic discussions between New Delhi, Washington, New York and Beijing had ensued after the March 13 hold by Beijing as it was clear that India will not relent on the matter.
Beijing had staunchly opposed the Azhar listing to be taken directly to the powerful UN body as it would have had to publicly explain its stand on its reservations to list Azhar, whose group JeM has already been designated as terror outfit by the UN, before exercising its veto.
BJP credits Modi
The BJP on Wednesday credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the United Nations designating Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a “global terrorist”, saying India is in safe hands under him.
“India stands vindicated. Masood Azhar is now a global terrorist. India is in safe hands. This marks a high point for the prime minister’s foreign policy,” senior BJP leader and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said. Calling it a “historic success” for India, the BJP used one of its Lok Sabha election slogans, Modi hai to mumkin hai (It is possible if Modi is there), as it reacted to what is being seen as a major diplomatic win for the country.
While BJP rushed to give credit to the government, some opposition leaders, including Shashi Tharoor of the Congress, referred to reports that references to the Pulwama terror attack and terrorism in Kashmir were dropped by the UN.
“Well that kind of deflates our satisfaction. If Masood Azhar wasn’t blacklisted at last because of Pulwama, then it logically has to be for all his previous sins. So is China admitting they erred in shielding him for 10 years and he was a terrorist pre-Pulwama too?” Tharoor said.
US hails decision
The US on Wednesday welcomed the designation of JeM chief Masood Azhar as a “global terrorist” by the UN and sought “sustained actions” from Pakistan against terrorism, consistent with its international obligations. (PTI)
