China blocks bid to tag JeM chief Masood Azhar as 'global terrorist' in UNSC

China once again blocked a bid to designate Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist in the United Nations Security Council 1267 list. This is the fourth time since 2009 that China has blocked the proposal to designate Pakistan-based JeM chief Azhar as a "global terrorist". 

The proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US on February 27, days after the Pulwama terror attack carried out by a suicide bomber belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) that led to a flare-up in tensions between India and Pakistan.

The Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee members had 10 working days to raise any objections to the proposal moved by France, the UK and the US. The no-objection period deadline was to end around 12:30 am IST on Thursday.

The Committee makes its decisions by consensus among its members.

China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, and an "all-weather ally" of Pakistan, has blocked India's proposal from being adopted by the Sanctions Committee in 2009 and 2016. In 2017, Beijing also blocked a move by the US, the UK and France to designate Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN.

China had already hinted at blocking the proposal

Hours before the UN Security Council was to take up the resolution, China had hinted that it may once again block the move, saying only "the solution that is acceptable to all sides" is conducive to resolve the issue.

"I could reiterate that China will continue to adopt a responsible attitude and participate in the deliberations in the UNSC 1267 Committee," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang had told media.

Asked to clarify whether the issue has been listed for discussion for March 13 and China is in talks with all the parties concerned, Lu said, "First I want to clarify that I don't recall saying anything about the deadline about the UNSC committee and other UN subsidiary bodies".

On the issue of listing Masood Azhar, he said, "I want to say that China always adopts a responsible attitude, engage in consultations with various parties and properly deal with this issue." 

"The discussions, I want to say must follow the rules and procedures of the relevant bodies and only the solution that is acceptable to all sides is conducive for resolving the issue," he said.

Recently, China's Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou travelled to Pakistan and held talks with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and other officials.

UNSC members aware of JeM training camps: India

India on Saturday said all UNSC members were aware of the JeM training camps and the presence of terror group's chief Masood Azhar in Pakistan and urged them to designate him as a global terrorist.

The JeM, headed by the 50-year-old Azhar, carried out many terror strikes in India and was involved in the attack on Parliament, the Pathankot air force base, army camps in Jammu and Uri. It also claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama suicide attack which left 40 CRPF personnel dead. 

In the wake of the terror attack in Pulwama, India launched a major diplomatic offensive against Islamabad, holding briefing for envoys of 25 countries, including from the five permanent UNSC members -- the US, China, Russia, the UK and France -- to highlight Pakistan's role in using terrorism as an instrument of state policy.

India also handed over to Pakistan a dossier on "specific details" of involvement of the JeM in the Pulwama terror attack.