Pakistan-based Masood Azhar has been designated as a global terrorist by the UN
China, which lifted its technical hold on listing Pakistan-based terrorist Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN, on Wednesday said it took the decision after it found no objection to the proposal by the US, the UK and France.
In a huge diplomatic win for India, the UN on Wednesday designated the head of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed as a "global terrorist" after China lifted its hold on a proposal to blacklist him.
"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," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in a statement, according to news agency PTI.
"The 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council has detailed criteria for the listing procedures. China always believes that the relevant work should be carried out in an objective, unbiased and professional manner and based on solid evidence and consensus among all parties," Shuang said.
China, however, credited Pakistan for its "contribution to fighting terrorism", despite facing accusations from India and other nations about sheltering terrorists on its soil.
"I would like to stress that Pakistan has made enormous contributions to fighting terrorism, which deserves the full recognition of the international community. China will continue to firmly support Pakistan's efforts to combat terrorist and extremist forces," Shuang said, according to news agency IANS.
China had for long blocked India's efforts to get the Pakistan-based head of the terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed blacklisted.
After his release in exchange of passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines IC-814 flight in 1999 by the then BJP government, Masood Azhar went on to form Jaish-e-Mohammed and ordered many terror strikes in India, including on Parliament House, Pathankot Air Force base, Army camps in Jammu and Kashmir, and the suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama in February that killed 40 soldiers.