The three veto-wielding members of the 15-nation United Nation Security Council, the US, UK and France have moved a fresh proposal in the UNSC on Wednesday, to designate Pakistan-based terror group JeM’s chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, a listing that will subject him to a global travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo.
The Security Council Sanctions Committee will have 10 working days to consider the fresh proposal submitted by the three members.
This proposal is the fourth such attempt in the last 10 years to list Azhar as a global terrorist.
India has been consistently trying to get Masood Azhar declared as a global terrorist. Back in 2009, India had moved a proposal to ban Azhar. In 2016 again, India moved a similar proposal with the P3 (the United States, the United Kingdom, and France) in the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee to ban Masood Azhar, at the wake of the 2016 attack on India’s Pathankot by JeM terrorists.
The P3 nations had moved a similar proposal again in 2017. However, on all occasions, the proposal had been blocked by China, another veto-yielding member of the UNSC.
However, in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, France had again moved a proposal at the United Nations (UN) to ban Jaish-e-Muhammad chief Masood Azhar.
The Pakistan based terror organisation had claimed responsibility for the horrific attack on a CRPF convoy on February 14 at Pulwama near Srinagar.
This cowardly attack has evoked strong global condemnation. Almost all Nations except China has denounced Pakistan’s aided dastardly attack on Indian soldiers. The UN had also broken its silence and issued a strongly worded statement against the heinous act of terrorism against India.
The UNSC statement has also asserted that India has the right to defend itself against the threat of terrorism.
India resolute to take stern action against Pakistan’s constant infringements, especially after the Pulwama attack had taken several measures to ensure it hits Pakistan diplomatically and financially.
2 days back, India entered Pakistan’s airspace in the wee hours of January 26 and bombed JeM facility in Balakot and other areas. In the operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for suicide attacks were eliminated. The facility at Balakot was headed by Yousuf Azhar, the brother-in-law of the JeM chief.
Hours after the Indian Air Force carried out the air strikes, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his “urgent appeal to both the Government of India and the Government of Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint to ensure that the situation does not further deteriorate”.
This fearless retaliation, executed by the IAF has left Pakistan totally spooked. Tension grips the Nation as more reprisals are expected from India.
