In a dramatic move, China has once again blocked India’s bid at the UN to ban Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) Chief Masood Azhar, the mastermind of the Pathankot terror attack.
As per a PTI report, according to highly placed sources, just hours before the deadline on Friday, China requested the UN Committee to not add Azhar’s name to a list under Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee – one of the three security council committees to deal with counter-terrorism.
China, one of the five permanent members of the UN group with veto powers, did not allow the ban apparently at the behest of Pakistan again, said PTI.
But this isn’t the first time that China has blocked UN sanctions against terrorists and terror organisations.
China had blocked UN sanctions against JeM chief Masood Azhar earlier as well in August 12 2009.
China has thrice blocked efforts to put sanctions on Jamaat-Ud-Dawa and its chief Hafiz Saeed in April 2006, May 2007 and December 2010, despite being backed by superpowers like Britain and France.
It blocked India’s move seeking action against Pakistan over releasing Lashkar-e-Taiba commander and 26/11 attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi in June 2015.
China choked India’s request for UN ban on Hizbul chief Syed Salahuddin in May 2015.
China even opposed India’s bid for a permanent seat in the UN security council in August 2015.
(With inputs from PTI)
(Feature image source: AFP + Reuters)