- India
- May 02
China blinks as India’s pressure pays off
In a huge diplomatic win for India, the UN on May 1 designated Masood Azhar as a “global terrorist” after China lifted its hold on a proposal to blacklist the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief, a decade after New Delhi approached the world body for the first time on the issue. However, the Security Council’s resolution made no mention of the February 14 Pulwama attack.
China said that it took the decision after it found no objection to the listing proposal by the US, the UK and France following a careful study of the “revised materials”. Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said that Islamabad will immediately enforce the sanctions imposed on Azhar.
India welcomed the move with Prime Minister Narendra Modi describing it as a “big success” for the country’s efforts to root out terrorism. Political parties cutting across ideological divide as well as strategic affairs experts hailed the action, years after India first pushed for banning Azhar, who is the mastermind of several major terror strikes in the country.
The Ministry of External Affairs called Azhar’s designation as a step in the right direction to demonstrate the international community’s resolve to fight against terrorism and its enablers.
Who is Masood Azhar?
According to a dossier submitted by India to the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee, Azhar was in born in 1968 and studied at Jamia Binoria, which is considered as a training school for jihadis. Indian security forces arrested Azhar during his visit to Kashmir in 1994.
Azhar, a top Harkat-ul-Mujahideen commander, was released on December 31, 1999, in exchange for passengers of IC-814 flight hijacked by Pakistani terrorists. Following his return to Pakistan, Azhar set up a new terror outfit - the JeM.
The militant group is behind the attacks on the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly and Parliament in New Delhi in 2001. The JeM has been accused of a series of attacks in J&K. It also claimed responsibility for the Pulwama strike in which 40 CRPF men were killed.
What will happen with the UN listing?
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.
A travel ban requires all states to prevent entry into or transit through their territories by designated individuals.
Arms embargo means 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.
When did India move against Azhar?
In 2009, India moved a proposal by itself to designate Azhar. In 2016, India moved another proposal with the P3 - the US, the UK and France - to ban Azhar after the attack on the air base in Pathankot. In 2017, the P3 nations moved a similar proposal again.
A veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, China was the sole hold-out in the 15-nation body on the bid to blacklist Azhar, blocking attempts by placing a “technical hold”.
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 him. Beijing lifting its hold is a massive diplomatic win for India, which had relentlessly pursued the matter with its international allies.
The UN statement says Azhar has been placed on the sanctions list “for participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of, supplying, selling or transferring arms and related material to, recruiting for, otherwise supporting acts or activities of, and other acts or activities indicating association with JeM”.
Why did China relent this time?
The US, UK and France turned the heat on China in the UN Security Council, threatening to discuss Azhar in a forum that would isolate Beijing publicly and force it to state the reasons for opposing the ban. Experts say this may led China to rethink its stand on the issue.
China said on May 1 that it took the decision after it found no objection to the listing proposal following a careful study of the “revised materials”. A statement issued by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that China always believes that the relevant work should be carried out in an objective, unbiased and professional manner and based on solid evidence and consensus among all parties. However, he also heaped praise on Pakistan for its efforts in “combating terrorist and extremist forces”.
How did global powers react to the listing?
The US welcomed the listing of Azhar and sought “sustained actions” from Pakistan against terrorism, consistent with its international obligations. France also welcomed the UN move, saying it “signals the successful realisation” of its efforts. For many years, French diplomacy has been relentlessly pleading for sanctioning Azhar. In London, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said the UN’s designation of Azhar was a positive development for the South Asian region. “The UK has consistently called for this action to be taken, and we worked closely with our international partners to ensure the right result. The listing of Masood Azhar, leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group, is very welcome and long overdue,” an FCO spokesperson said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed hope that all member states will abide by the decision of the sanctions committee on Azhar.