Masood Azhar to be Blacklisted? US Moves Resolution in UN Security Council to Designate JeM Chief as Global Terrorist

United Nations, March 28: Weeks after China blocked another request to put Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar on the UN sanctions list, the United States, Britain and France made a fresh attempt on Wednesday to designate him as a global terrorist. The US circulated a resolution- drafted with British and French support - to the 15-member Security Council that would designate Masood Azhar, subjecting him to an arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze, diplomats said as reported by Reuters.

After the Pulwama terror attack, the US, France and Britain moved a resolution in the UN Sanctions Committee of the Security Council to designate Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. The move suffered a setback as China put a "technical hold" on the proposal for the fourth time. Now, the US has moved directly approached the Security Council with the proposed resolution blacklisting Azhar. The draft resolution says Azhar will be added to the UN Al-Qaida and Islamic State sanctions blacklist. Here’s How China Blocked the Listing of Masood Azhar at the UNSC.

It is not clear when a vote would be held on the draft resolution. 40 CRPF personnel were killed when a suicide bomber rammed into a convoy while moving from Jammu to Srinagar in Lethpora area of South Kashmir Pulwama district on February 14. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed the responsibility of the attack. According to an annexe to the draft, Azhar is linked to terrorism for "participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities" carried out by JeM. Rahul Gandhi Attacks Narendra Modi, Says ‘Tell Pulwama Victim Families Who Released Masood Azhar’.

Earlier, a senior Trump administration official said China has a responsibility to not shield Pakistan, expressing deep disappointment over Beijing's decision to block a bid in the UN to designate Azhar as a global terrorist. "We think China has a responsibility to also not shield Pakistan, and join the international community in calling on Pakistan to take action against terrorists operating on its soil," the senior Trump administration said.

India also said it was disappointed at China's stand on Azhar. "We are disappointed by this outcome. This has prevented action by the international community to designate the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a proscribed and active terrorist organisation which has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14," the Ministry of External Affairs said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 28, 2019 09:48 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).