China on Friday again blocked India’s proposal to list Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a designated terrorist by the UN, prompting New Delhi to term it as an “unfortunate blow” and a step that confirms double standards in the fight against terrorism. Masood Azhar is the mastermind of the Pathankot airbase attack.
Reacting sharply to China’s stand, India also said it will continue to push forward with resolute determination “through the use of all options available with us to bring perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice”.
After China first blocked India’s proposal, which was submitted to the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council, New Delhi has to make a fresh listing request for Azhar to be banned by the global body, officials said here. After its submission, China twice imposed “technical” hold on the Indian proposal.
Asserting that its submission received the strong
backing of all other members of the 15-member Sanctions Committee, External Affairs Ministry said, “We note with concern China’s decision to block the proposal to list Masood Azhar. The international community is aware that the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, which is proscribed by the United Nations, has been responsible for innumerable terrorist attacks on India including the Pathankot airbase attack.”
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the decision by Beijing is surprising as China itself has been affected by the scourge of terrorism and has declared opposition to all forms of terrorism.
“As a consequence of this decision, the UN Security Council (UNSC) has again been prevented from acting against the leader of a listed terrorist organisation. We had expected China would have been more understanding of the danger posed to all by terrorism and would join India and others in fighting the common challenge of terrorism,” he added.
Meanwhile, China said India should conform to relevant UNSC resolutions on listing the JeM chief as a global terrorist. “I have repeated a number of times, when it comes to the listing matter of the UN Security Council 1267 Committee, we believe it should conform with relevant Security Council resolutions and the Committee’s rules of procedure,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told PTI. Hua, however, said she has to verify what China will do when its second technical hold ends.
She had given the same response on December 2 while reacting to India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) charge-sheeting Azhar in the Pathankot attack case. “listing in the 1267 Committee must be in line with the relevant resolutions of the UNSC and the rules of procedure of the Committee,” Hua said.
China, a veto wielding member of the UNSC, had blocked India’s move with a six month technical hold followed by a three month extension.
Officials said India may have to apply again to the 1267 Committee with the charge sheet details to press for its case as its present application will lapse following Beijing’s two technical holds. The two countries have been holding talks on the issue as well as India’s application to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). The talks have not made much headway as China on December 12 had said there is no change in its stand on both the cases.
The UN had banned the JeM in 2001 but India’s efforts for a ban on Azhar after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack also did not fructify as China did not allow the ban apparently at the behest of Pakistan again.
China was the only member in the 15-nation UN body to put a hold on India’s application with all other 14 members of the Council supporting New Delhi’s bid to place Azhar on the 1267 sanctions list that would subject him to an assets freeze and travel ban.