DNA/WION was the first to break the news.
In a major diplomatic victory for India, the man behind several terror attacks in the country including Pulwama terror attack, Masood Azhar has finally been listed as an international terrorist by the United Nation security council's 1267 committee. China earlier on Wednesday removed its hold on the listing of Masood Azhar, the chief of Pakistan based and united nations listed terror group .
PM Modi hailed the decision as big step towards fighting terrorism.
Big,small, all join together.
— Syed Akbaruddin (@AkbaruddinIndia) May 1, 2019
Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist in @UN Sanctions list
Grateful to all for their support.#Zerotolerance4Terrorism
Speaking to wion after the listing, India's permanent representative to UN Syed Akbaruddin said, "It's a significant success, this is only the first step to counter-terrorism" Adding, "US, Uk, france & many other countries came out to support India's effort of putting Masood Azhar on sanctioned list. The goal was set out 10 years ago".
The UNSC giving the reason for listing said Azhar is being listed for his association with "Al-Qaida for participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts" and "supporting acts... activities indicating association with" Jaish-i-Mohammed.
Welcoming the development, French foreign ministry in a statement said, "French diplomacy has been relentlessly pleading for sanctioning Mr Azhar, head of the terrorist group responsible, notably, for the Pulwama attack last February." Calling the decision by United Nations Security Council a "successful realisation" of Franch efforts, the statement said, "France remains mobilised at all levels and all fora to take effective measures against terrorism."
Reacting to the development, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, as quoted by news agency PTI said, "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".
But defending its all-weather ally, Pakistan, Chinese Foreign ministry added, "Pakistan has made enormous contributions to fighting terrorism, which deserves the full recognition of the international community. China will continue firmly support Pakistan's efforts to combat terrorism and extremist forces"
In the aftermath of the 14th February Pulwama terror attack that killed more 40 Indian security personnel, US along with France and UK had moved a proposal for listing of Masood Azhar. But on 13th March, the day of the deadline for the listing of Azhar, China had put a hold, citing more time to understand the issue.
Jaish E Mohammad had taken the responsibility for the Pulwama terror attack, the deadliest on Indian security forces in the last 20 years.
WION/DNA were the first to break the story on Sunday and Monday that China will remove its hold paving the way for the listing of Azhar.
India's relentless pressure works as China lifts hold:
The developments come just one week after Indian foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale visited China and give evidence regarding JeM's involvement in terror attacks in India. During his visit, he met Chinese officials including Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.
A statement from India's external affairs ministry said,"We have shared with China all evidences of terrorist activities of Jaish-e-Mohammad and its leader Masood Azhar. It is now for the 1267 Sanctions Committee and other authorized bodies of the U.N. to take a decision on the listing of Masood Azhar. "
The British High Commissioner Sir Dominic Asquith last week speaking to reporters expressed optimism on the listing of Azhar and said, "We are strong supporters of listing of Masood Azhar for a decade. So that we will get to that conclusion shortly."
1. Listing of Masood Azhar: Impact
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Listing of Azhar means, that travel, and arms embargo will be imposed on him which implies he cannot travel outside Pakistan or can buy weapons. His assets will also be frozen globally. But the big message, India has been able to send is that Islamabad remains the epicenter of terror. As a matter of fact, Pakistan hosta the largest number of United Nations listed terrorist.
(Image courtesy AFP)
2. Global support for listing
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India has been for a decade trying to list Azhar. It was in 2009 first, New Delhi hoped to list Azhar as a united nations listed terrorist. It was a lone proposer back then. In 2016, India again proposed the listing and it was co-sponsored by UK, US, France and it was blocked by China. 2017 saw US, UK and France moving the proposal but China blocked the move again. The move in February of 2019 saw global support with 14 out of 15 members of UNCS backing the move for the listing of Masood Azhar. The proposal was moved US, UK, France and co-sponsored by Australia, Bangladesh, Italy and Japan.
After the Chinese hold in March, France had announced it will be putting a freeze on the assets of Azhar and will raise the issue with the European Union. A joint release by French Foreign, Interior, and Finance ministry said, "We will raise this issue with our European partners with a view to including Masood Azhar on the European Union list of persons, groups and entities involved in terrorist acts, based on this decree."
Currently, a text has been circulated among all members of European Union for listing of Azhar as a terrorist under EU jurisdiction.
(Image courtesy AFP)
3. Listing 20 years after IC-814 hijack that lead to Masood Azhar's release
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The listing of Masood Azhar comes 20 years after he was released when Pakistan based terrorist hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814 and took it to Taliban controlled Kandahar. The motive of the hijack was to not only get the release of Azhar but also Mushtaq Ahmed, Omar Sheikh. All 3 found safe houses in Pakistan after the release and in years to follow masterminded many terror attacks in India and the killing of South Asia Bureau Chief of The Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pearl.
Masood Azhar's JeM is responsible for many terror attacks in the years that followed his release after the Hijacking of IC 814-These were 2001 Indian Parliament attack, 2016 Pathankot attack and 2019 Pulwama attack
(Image courtesy Zee News)
