In a major break through United Nations Security Council declared JeM Chief Masood Azhar a Globle Terrorist
Getting him declared as Globle Terrorist is not a big deal Rajiv Shukla Congress spokesperson on zee news
Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)
chief Masood Azhar was been listed as a global terrorist by the United Nations
on Wednesday, 1 May, after the world body’s Sanctions Committee held a crucial
meeting, amid indications that China could lift its hold on the proposal to
blacklist Azhar.
“Big,small, all join together,”
tweeted India’s India’s Ambassador & Permanent Representative to the United
Nations.
This comes a day after Beijing said
that the vexed issue of designating Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN will
be “properly resolved.”
China had put a hold in March on a fresh proposal by the US, UK
and France to impose a ban on the chief of the JeM which claimed responsibility
for the deadly Pulwama terror attack. The proposal was the fourth such bid at
the UN in the last 10 years to list Azhar as a global terrorist.
The Many Times
India Moved to Designate Azhar as Terrorist
In 2009, India had moved a proposal
by itself to designate Azhar as “global terrorist.”
In 2016 again India moved the
proposal with the P3 – the United States, the United Kingdom and France in the
UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee to ban Azhar, also the mastermind of the attack
on the air base in Pathankot in January, 2016.
In 2017, the P3 nations moved a
similar proposal again.
However, on all occasions China, a veto-wielding permanent member
of the Security Council, blocked India’s proposal from being adopted by the
Sanctions Committee.
“I can only say that I believe
that this will be properly resolved,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman
Geng Shuang told a media briefing in Beijing.
He was responding to questions on the
media reports that China has reportedly consented to lift its technical hold on
a fresh proposal moved by France, the UK and the US to list Azhar under the
1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council.
International
Community’s Pressure to Designate Azhar
Keeping up the international pressure
to designate Azhar as a global terrorist, the US, supported by France and the
UK, moved a draft resolution directly in the UN Security Council to blacklist
the Pakistan-based terror organisation’s head.
Though China can exercise its veto
power as a permanent member of the UNSC, Beijing has staunchly opposed the
issue to be taken to the apex UN body as it has to publicly explain its stand
on its reservations to list Azhar, whose group JeM has already been designated
as terror outfit by UN, before exercising its veto.
“Regarding the listing issue in the 1267 Committee, we have
expressed our position many times and I just want to stress two points,” Geng
said answering a number of questions on Azhar’s issue.
On reports that China would lift its
technical hold on 1 May, he said, “on the listing issue, China is still
working with the relevant parties and we are in contact with all relevant
parties within the 1267 Committee and I believe with the joint efforts of all
parties, this will be properly resolved.”
Assets Freeze,
Travel Ban & More
A UNSC designation will subject Azhar
to an assets freeze, travel ban and an arms embargo.
An assets freeze under the Sanctions Committee requires that all
states freeze without delay the funds and other financial assets or economic
resources of designated individuals and entities. The travel ban entails
preventing the entry into or transit by all states through their territories by
designated individuals.
Under the arms embargo, all states
are required to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer from
their territories or by their nationals outside their territories, or using
their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types,
spare parts, and technical advice, assistance, or training related to military
activities, to designated individuals and entities.
The efforts to resolve Azhar’s listing issue gathered momentum
last week with the visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to Beijing to
attend China’s 2nd Belt and Road Forum held from 25-27 April.
During the visit, Khan held talks
with Xi, besides meeting Premier Li Keqiang and Vice President Wang Qishan
during which India-Pakistan tension following the Pulwama terror attack as well
as listing of Azhar reportedly figured.
An official statement of China issued
after Xi-Khan meeting on Sunday said the Chinese President had expressed hope
that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway and improve their
relations.
