The UN Security Council (UNSC) Sanctions Committee 1267 ) on Wednesday (May 1, 2019) listed Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Masood Azhar, as a global terrorist, placing a restriction on foreign travel, arms embargo and freezing of assets. The UNSC’s 1267 Sanctions Committee made the declaration after China, which had blocked the proposal four times earlier, lifted its “technical hold” amidst intense pressure from the Security Council’s other permanent members like the US, the UK and France.
“Big, small, all join together. Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist in @UN Sanctions list. Grateful to all for their support,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Syed Akbaruddin tweeted.
On February 27, France, United Kingdom and US had presented a resolution demanding a ban on Azhar, on which China had raised an objection on technical basis.
China’s Foreign Ministry on the subject said: “China has been communicating with relevant parties in a constructive and responsible fashion. Recently, relevant countries revised and re-submitted the materials for the listing proposal to the 1267 Committee. After careful study of the revised materials and taking into consideration the opinions of relevant parties concerned, China does not have objection to the listing proposal.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal hailed the decision, calling it a diplomatic win by Pakistan against baseless Indian political references. “Huge diplomatic win by Pakistan against #India – baseless, political references, linking MasoodAzhar with the legitimate Kashmiri struggle for right to self determination, removed,” he wrote.
Huge diplomatic win by #Pakistan against #India – baseless, political references, linking #MasoodAzhar with the legitimate Kashmiri struggle for right to self determination, removed
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) May 1, 2019
