China once again blocked a proposal in the UN Security Council on Wednesday to enlist Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as an international terrorist despite his outfit carrying out the ghastly Pulwama attack. This is the fourth time that China has used the technical hold to block the proposal, which is being pushed by other permanent members of the UNSC, particularly the US, Britain and France.
India’s options-
China continues to play hardball as it is seeking to help its all weather friend Pakistan. However while India must engage Beijing diplomatically it will have to indulge in some coercive diplomacy as Beijing also has large economic stakes in India. Chinese companies can not be allowed to profiteer in India at a juncture when that country is blatantly supporting a terrorist that is fomenting terrorism in the country.
By siding with a global terrorist #China has played with the sentiment of a billion Indians who are victims of Pak terror.
India has enough bilateral levers with China time to go full throttle, don’t let the Chinese companies indulge in profiteering in India @narendramodi https://t.co/DlpFwCrroX— Saurabh Shukla सौरभ शुक्ल (@isaurabhshukla) March 13, 2019
“We are disappointed by this outcome. This has prevented action by the international community to designate the leader of (JeM), a proscribed and active terrorist organization which has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 14 February 2019”, MEA India Raveesh Kumar said.
“The 1267 Sanctions Committee, upon completion of the no-objection period on 13 March 2019, wasn’t able to come to a decision on the proposal for listing Mohammed Masood Azhar under the UN Sanctions regime, on account of a member placing the proposal on hold”, he added.
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“We are grateful for the efforts of the Member States who moved the designation proposal and the unprecedented number of all other Security Council members as well as non-members who joined as co-sponsors”, he said expressing his gratitude for the members who stood by India’s proposal.
“We will continue to pursue all available avenues to ensure that terrorist leaders who are involved in heinous attacks on our citizens are brought to justice”, he added.
More than 10 countries had supported India’s bid to designate JeM Chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist in the United Nations Security Council 1267 list, as co-sponsors.