On 14th March, Wednesday, China blocked an initiative to designate Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the United Nations Security Council. This is the 4th time that China has blocked the proposal to designate Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. In the past, China has blocked the proposal 3 times i.e. in the year 2009, 2016 and in 2017.
This move of Pakistan’s “all-weather ally” China comes at a time when United Nation security council was to take up a resolution regarding Masood Azhar days after 14th February Pulwama attack in which more than 40 CRPF soldiers lost their lives when a 21-year-old suicide bomber rammed Mahindra Scorpio filled with explosives into the CRPF convoy Pakistan based jaish e Mohammad took the responsibility of the attack. According to sources, the resolution of the United Nation security council was backed by a large number of countries going into double digits but China blocked the proposal. India said it was disappointed by the outcome.
China blocked the proposal on some technical ground. In a note sent to the United Nations Security Council by China, diplomats read that it needed more time to examine the sanctions request on Masood Azhar.
A statement by the foreign ministry said, “The 1267 Sanctions Committee, upon completion of the no-objection period on 13 March 2019, wasn’t able to come to a decision on the proposal for listing Mohammed Masood Azhar under the UN Sanctions regime, on account of a member placing the proposal on hold.”
The external affairs ministry in a statement said that they were disappointed by the outcome as it has prevented the action by United Nations Security Council to designate Masood Azhar as a global terrorist– the person responsible for Pulwama attack.
The statement also read, “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.”