New Delhi: India will formally take up with China its move that prevents Masood Azhar, the chief of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, to the United Nations’ al Qaeda-Islamic State blacklist.
China first blocked India’s move on Azhar in April by objecting to the request, a decision which was seen as support for Pakistan. Last week, seven days before its veto was to expire, China extended its “technical hold” which amounts to a veto. India has accused the Jaish-e-Mohammed of two deadly terror attacks this year – in January on the Pathankot air force base in which seven military personnel were killed and then at the Uri army base last month, where 19 soldiers died.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jingping next week at the BRICS summit in Goa.
“14 countries were on one side and one country on the other, so that lead to this extension,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup on China extending its hold on the move to ban Masood Azhar.
The Jaish-e-Mohammad has already been blacklisted by the 15-member United Nations Security Council, but not its leader, Maulana Masood Azhar. China alone has blocked India on the issue of Azhar. If Azhar was blacklisted by the UN Security Council, he would face a global travel ban and asset freeze.
Technical holds can be lifted and often arise when a Security Council member wants more information. But sometimes they lead to a permanent blocking of a proposed blacklisting.
India is also working to win China’s support on its membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Earlier this year, China led a group of countries in objecting to India joining the 48-nation bloc that controls trade of sophisticated nuclear technology and material. (Agencies)
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