New Delhi, May 1: France has welcomed the designation of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as terrorist by the United Nations Security Council today. In a statement, France said, “We welcome the designation today, by the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee, of Masood Azhar on the UN’s ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List.”

France further added that the French diplomacy had been relentlessly pleading for sanctioning Azhar, head of the terrorist group responsible, notably, for the Pulwama attack last February. France had adopted national sanctions against Masood Azhar on March 15.

Earlier in the day, Azhar was listed as a global terrorist by the UNSC. It is considered as a huge diplomatic win for India as China, which had blocked Masood Azhar's listing as global terrorist four times, finally dropped its objections. Azhar is the chief of the Pakistan-based JeM which was behind the Pulwama terror attack in which 20 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were martyred.

Syed Akbaruddin, India's permanent envoy to the UN tweeted, “Big, small, all join together. Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist in @UN Sanctions list Grateful to all for their support." Masood Azhar's Listing as Global Terrorist: Positive Progress Made, Says China Day Before UN Meet.

Syed Akbaruddin's Tweet:

With the designation as a global terrorist, Azhar’s all finances and assets will be frozen. According to government sources, Azhar was put under house arrest at Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, post-Balakot Attack and has been recently shifted to a safe house in Islamabad.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 01, 2019 07:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).