Pulwama Attack: How China has protected Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar

In the video recorded before Adil Ahmad Dar carried out a suicide attack on Indian security forces in Pulwama, he talked about previous attacks carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed against India. These attacks included the ICA18 hijacking, 2001 Parliament attack, Nagrota attack, Uri attack, and Pathankot IAF base attack. Still Maulana Masood Azhar, the head of Jaish-e-Mohammed, is not on the United Nation's list of global terrorists. 

With Jaish having claimed responsibility for the Pulwama terrorist attack, Azhar is back in focus. India have been trying for a long time to list him as a “global terrorist” at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). However, they have been repeatedlly foiled in these attempts by China.

After Pulwama attack, India's Ministry of Eternal Affaris said about Jaish: "This terror group is led by the international terrorist Masood Azhar, who has been given full freedom by Government of Pakistan to operate and expand his terror infrastructure in territories under the control of Pakistan and to carry out attacks in India and elsewhere with impunity."

Without taking China's name India called on the member of the International community to list Jaish-e-Mohammed Chief Masood Azhar under 1267 sanctions committee of United Nation security council (UNSC).

MEA said, "We strongly reiterate our appeal to all members of the international community to support the proposal to list terrorists, including JeM Chief Masood Azhar, as a designated terrorist under the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council and to ban terrorist organisations operating from territories controlled by Pakistan."

Delhi’s attempts to list Azhar, who was released by the Vajpayee government in December 1999 in exchange for the release of the passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC-814, at the UNSC have been repeatedly blocked by China. 

The most recent effort began after Jaish carried out an attack on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot on January 2, 2016. India put forward a proposal in February 2016 to designate Azhar as a terrorist under the aegis of the UNSC 1267 committee. 

China intervened at Pakistan’s behest and placed a technical hold on India’s move in March 2016, and again in October 2016. It subsequently used its veto power to block the proposal in December 2016, a day before the technical hold ended. 

China again employed a technical hold and blocked a proposal put forward by the US, the UK and France on January 19, 2017 to designate Azhar as a terrorist.

Earlier, when India had pushed for Azhar’s listing after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, it was China who had put a technical hold.

Azhar has been one of the major items on the agenda during bilateral talks with China. However, so far China has now show any willingness to accept India's demand.

With Azhar and JeM adding another bloodbath to its resume, it is high time the international community supported the proposal to list Azhar as a designated terrorist.