ISLAMABAD: The United Nations listed on Wednesday proscribed Jaish-e-Mohammed’s Chief Masood Azhar among banned individuals on its global terror list, placing a restriction on foreign travel, arms embargo and freezing of assets.
The UN Security Council Sanctions Committee 1267 listed Masood Azhar, placing a ban on immediate basis.
The Foreign Office said that the current listing proposal has been agreed after all political references, including attempts to link it with Pulwama incident and maligning the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiris and their right to self-determination, were removed.
Pakistan has always advocated the need for respecting these technical rules and regulations and has opposed the politicisation of the Sanctions Committee, said the official statement.
On February 27, France, United Kingdom and US had presented a resolution demanding a ban on Azhar, on which China had raised an objection on technical basis.
China’s Foreign Ministry on the subject said: “China has been communicating with relevant parties in a constructive and responsible fashion. Recently, relevant countries revised and re-submitted the materials for the listing proposal to the 1267 Committee. After careful study of the revised materials and taking into consideration the opinions of relevant parties concerned, China does not have objection to the listing proposal.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry also said that Pakistan has made great contributions for countering terrorism and it deserves full recognition of the international community. The statement said that China will continue to firmly support Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorist forces.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal hailed the decision, calling it a diplomatic win by Pakistan against baseless Indian political references. “Huge diplomatic win by #Pakistan against #India - baseless, political references, linking #MasoodAzhar with the legitimate Kashmiri struggle for right to self determination, removed,” he wrote.