China opposes US move to blacklist JEM chief

Proposal, which was finalised after consultations between Washington and New Delhi was opposed by Beijing


News Desk February 08, 2017
Maulana Masood Azhar, head of Jaish-e-Mohammad, in Islamabad on August 26, 2001. PHOTO: REUTERS

China opposed a proposal by the US in the United Nations to ban Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, Times of India reported on Tuesday.

The US, supported by the UK and France, moved a proposal to designate Masood Azhar as a global terrorist at the Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council.

India indicts JeM chief Masood Azhar over Pathankot attack

The proposal, which was finalised after consultations between Washington and New Delhi was opposed by Beijing.

India has accused the JeM and its leader of masterminding several attacks, including the assault on the Pathankot air base in January 2016. Security officials interrogated Azhar and his associates after the attack, and said they found no evidence linking him to it.

Jaish-e-Mohammad has already been blacklisted by the 15-nation Security Council, but not Azhar.

Jaish-e-Mohammad ‘leader’ killed in Indian Kashmir

China opposed the US move by putting a hold on the proposal. The hold remains for six months and can be further extended by three months. During this period, it can be anytime converted into a block, thereby, ending the life of the proposal.

Reacting to China’s move to block the ban proposal, India’s foreign ministry said, “We’ve been informed of this development and the matter has been taken up with the Chinese government.”

Beijing had earlier blocked India’s request in December to add Azhar to UN Security Council blacklist of groups linked to al Qaeda.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8th, 2017.

COMMENTS (8)

harkol | 7 years ago | Reply China+Pak+NorthKorea = New USSR US+India+Europe+Australia+Japan = New NATO Arabs will be split between China & US. Question is which way Russia will go. Outcome is a foregone conclusion. China is overstretching. It has way too less per capita income than even erstwhile USSR (and resources) to be able to sustain an arms race with developed world.
Irfan_Sydnry | 7 years ago | Reply OH Man! China really loves Masood Azhar. If I were him I would have moved to China and would have changed my name to Ming Lee.
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