WASHINGTON: India has described the Chinese veto of an Indian move in the United Nations as “disappointing” and “incomprehensible”.
On Friday, China put a technical hold on a move in the United Nations to declare Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar an international terrorist. A UN designation would have forced Pakistan to act now and not after completing its investigation into the attack on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot.
“We are disappointed that a technical hold has been put on India’s application to designate terror leader Masood Azhar in the UN Security Council Committee,” Indian external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup told a news briefing in Washington on Friday afternoon.
“We find it incomprehensible that while the Pakistan-based JeM was listed in UNSC committee as far back as 2001 for its well-known terror activities and links to Al Qaeda, the designation of the group’s main leader, financier and motivator has been put on a technical hold,” he said.
He claimed that Masood Azhar had also planned the Jan 2 terrorist attack in Pathankot, a charge Pakistan is still investigating.
China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Liu Jieyi, rejected the criticism, saying that Mr Azhar did not qualify as a terrorist who would have to face UN sanctions.
Speaking to reporters after assuming the presidency of the Security Council, Mr Liu said Mr Azhar did not meet “the council’s requirements” to be considered a terrorist.
Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2016
