China has once again opposed a proposal in the UN for designating Pathankot attack mastermind Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.
The proposal to ban Masood Azhar was moved by the United States at the UN’s Sanctions Committee 1267 in the second-half of last month, according to senior government officials.
The proposal was supported by the UK and France as well.
The American proposal came barely weeks after India’s efforts to get Azhar banned by the UN were blocked by China in December last.
The proposal, which was finalised after “consultations” between Washington and New Delhi, said JeM is a designated terror outfit and so its leaders cannot go scot-free, sources said.
“However, China opposed the US move by putting a hold on the proposal,” a source said, adding the Chinese action came just before the expiry of the 10-day deadline for any proposal to be adopted or blocked or to be put on hold.
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.
UN Sanction Committee’s listing would have forced imposition of asset freeze and travel ban on Azhar by countries including Pakistan.
Reacting to Chinese block on the US proposal to ban Masood Azhar, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, "We have been informed of the development and the matter has been taken up with the Chinese government."
(With PTI inputs)
