JeM Chief Masood Azhar’s fate to be decided at UNSC meets today

New Delhi: The United Nations Security Council will decide on Wednesday whether Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar must be branded as a global terrorist or not based on voting by the participating countries.

Pakistan-based JeM had claimed responsibility for the deadly Pulwama attack which killed about 40 CRPF personnel. Since then Pakistan has faced a backlash from all over the world for not taking adequate steps in curbing terrorism. Three permanent members of the UNSC — the United States, Britain and France — have moved a resolution to designate Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.

Since 2001, when the JeM was first listed as an entity, to 2008 in the wake of the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, to 2016, after the Pathankot airbase attack, the UNSC has failed to put Azhar on its list, mainly due to opposition from China.

As of now, China said that it has adopted a “responsible attitude” and followed the “rules and procedures” of the UNSC Resolution 1267 sanctions committee.

Meanwhile, as per the US Masood Azhar meets the criteria to be designated as a global terrorist and not doing so is against regional stability and peace.

“The United States and China share a mutual interest in achieving regional stability and peace, and that a failure to designate Azhar would run counter to this goal,” State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino said in response to a question on previous successful attempts by China to block the UN designation of Azhar.

Also Read: UN Ban On Azhar: China Pushes For ‘Responsible Solutions’ Through Talks