China blocks move against Azhar, India disappointed

United Nations/New Delhi: The UN Sanctions Committee on Wednesday did not come to a decision on naming JeM chief Mohammed Masood Azhar a global terrorist due to China putting the proposal on hold. India expressed its disappointment at the outcome.

In a statement in New Delhi, the External Affairs Ministry said this has prevented action by the international community against the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a proscribed and active terrorist organization which has claimed responsibility for last month's Pulwama terror attack. 

It was the fourth attempt for international action against the JeM founder, all of which have been blocked by China since 2009.

"The ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee (1267 Sanctions Committee), upon completion of the no-objection period on 13 March 2019, was not able to come to a decision on the proposal for listing Mohammed Masood Azhar Alvi under the UN Sanctions regime, on account of a member placing the proposal on hold. We are disappointed by this outcome," the statement said, without naming China.

India expressed its gratitude for the efforts of the countries who moved the proposal and "the unprecedented number of all other Security Council members as well as non-members who joined as co-sponsors".

The proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee was moved by France, UK and the US on February 27 in wake of the horrendous terror attack in jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama that left 40 security personnel dead.

"We will continue to pursue all available avenues to ensure that terrorist leaders who are involved in heinous attacks on our citizens are brought to justice," the statement said.