Chandigarh: In yet another embarrassment to India, China once again has blocked a proposal at the United Nations to list Jaish-e-Muhammad’s Chief Masood Azhar as a global designated ‘terrorist’. Reacting to the development, the Ministry of External Affairs has said it expected China to be more understanding. Addressing the media the MEA accused China for double standards on the issue of “terrorism”.
This is not the first time that China has scuttled the proposal. On earlier occasions too, China had defended its second technical hold to prevent a UN ban on Pakistan-based JeM chief Masood Azhar saying there were “different views” on India’s application and that Beijing’s move will allow more time for the “relevant parties” to have consultations. When India reacted to this development, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the listing application member states submitted to the 1267 Committee of UN “must comply” with specific requirements of relevant resolutions of UN Security Council (UNSC) said the officials of MEA.
In its reply to the English vernacular the ministry stated that “There are still different views on India’s listing application made this March. The technical hold on it will allow more time for the Committee to deliberate on the matter and for relevant parties to have further consultations.”