China’s continued efforts to block India’s move to get Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist by the United Nations is expected to extensively appear in the talks during the upcoming BRICS summit scheduled in Goa on October 15-16 when India host Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
China on Sunday extended the technical hold on India’s move to get the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad chief sanctioned by the UN, which was to expire today. Had China not raised any further objection, the resolution designating Masood Azhar as a terrorist could stand passed automatically.
The hold has now been extended for another six months, thanks to China.
Meanwhile, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval today met Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui at South Block, reports said, where he is believed to have expressed India’s concerns over China’s persistence at blocking India’s attempts to have Azhar branded a terrorist.
The talks have already triggered speculations that India is already pushing Beijing on Azhar.
Sources said that India is likely to present China with some new evidence against Masood Azhar’s terror activities in India, sources said. The issue will 'figure prominently at a high level' on the during the BRICS summit in Goa, they added.
On March 31 this year, China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, had blocked India’s move to put a ban on the JeM leader and Pathankot attack mastermind under the Sanctions Committee of the Council.
China, on the other hand, has stuck to its guns, justifying its decision to block India's bid as "fair and based on facts".
"China always deals with the listing of 1267 committee based on facts and pursuant to UN Security Council resolutions and relevant rules in a fair manner," Chinese Foreign Ministry had said in April while exercising its veto for the second time.
China is one of the five veto-wielding members of the UNSC which plays a leading role in banning terrorist outfits.
China was the only member in the 15-nation UN organ 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.
Beijing’s decision, coming in the midst of India-Pakistan tension over the Uri terrorist attack, is considered a setback for India in the fight against terror.
The attack on an Army base in Uri on September 18 was carried out by four Pakistan-based JeM terrorists resulting in death of 19 Indian soldiers. Azhar is also the alleged mastermind behind the terror attack at the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot earlier this year.
India has taken up the matter at the highest levels with China but the efforts have yielded no results so far.
Needless to say, all eyes will now be on the BRICS summit later this week where this issue could well overshadow other proceedings given the current geopolitical scenario.
