Dismissing any quid pro quo with China on the UN listing of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, India on Thursday said it does not negotiate with any country on matters related to terrorism and national security.
“We do not negotiate with any country on terrorism and on matters related to the security of the country. China has already given its reason why the hold has been lifted,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at th3e weekly press briefing here.
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He was replying to questions whether there was any deal with China on the issue during the visit by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Beijing recently.
On Wednesday, the United Nations (UN) designated Azhar as a ‘global terrorist’ after China also joined efforts to blacklist him by lifting its technical hold.
In the past, China had stalled India’s proposal to enlist Azhar as a ‘global terrorist’ at least four times in the last 10 years, the latest being in March this year. Beijing had previously blocked New Delhi’s bid three times — in 2009, 2016 and 2017.
Taking a swipe at Pakistan over its stand on Azhar, Kumar said that Islamabad’s only option is to “pick up some holes”, indicating that it should take strong steps in combatting terrorism.
“Elements are being introduced to divert attention from Pakistan on this diplomatic setback that they have suffered. They cannot welcome the decision, they cannot criticize the decision. The only option left for them is to pick up some holes,” he said.
The news about UN action was broken by India’s Ambassador to the UN, Syed Akbaruddin, who tweeted, “Big, small, all join together. Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist in @UN Sanctions list.”
Azhar, the head of Pakistan-based JeM, had claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama terror attack in south Kashmir, in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives.
The UN action came after China called for “political consultation within the framework of the 1267 committee” to “properly resolve” the issue pertaining to the listing of Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN.
A global terrorist tag under the UN’s 1267 committee will lead to a freeze on Azhar’s assets and a ban on his travel and constraints on possessing weapons.
Hours after the UN Azhar as a global terrorist, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday claimed that the JeM chief was listed under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act “much before” the case of his listing was taken up before the world body.
“You are aware that the listing of Masood Azhar had been under consideration in the Sanctions Committee for several years, (since 2009). He has been proscribed under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act for some time, even before his case for listing was taken up by the Sanctions Committee,” read a statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry.
The statement further argued that the earlier proposals to list the JeM chief “failed to generate the requisite consensus in the sanction committee” as the information regarding the terrorist activities of Azhar and his outfits did not meet the technical rules and regulations.
Meanwhile, Azhar has been shifted to a safe house in Islamabad from his residence in Bahawalpur by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), sources have said.
A dossier prepared by the government on the global terrorist which has also been shared with the international community, says that the Azhar was “put under house arrest at Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, post ‘Balakot Attack’ (26.02.2019) and has been recently shifted to a Safe House in Islamabad.”
(With ANI inputs)