India calls for global cooperation against Masood Azhar

India on Friday called for international cooperation against all forms of terrorism, following China stalling the move to list Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist by the United Nations.

Speaking at a press conference, India's External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said that Azhar's involvement in carrying out terror attacks on Indian soil is a well known fact.

He also accused Azhar of fermenting terrorism in other countries and other parts of region.

"So we can only hope that all those countries which share our concerns regarding menace of international terrorism will cooperate in fighting all forms of terrorism," Baglay said.

 

China has again extended by three months its technical hold on a proposal backed by the US, France and Britain in the United Nations (UN), to list Azhar as a designated terrorist.

This was the fourth instance of China stalling the move to get Azhar designated as a terrorist by the UN.

Azhar would have automatically been designated under the UN as a terrorist if China would not have extended the technical hold.

The development comes at a time when Indian and Chinese troops continue to be locked in a standoff in Doklam and both sides have moved additional troops, ammunition and military equipment to the area.

China has been insisting that India provide "solid evidence" against the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief. With the 1267 committee, India has been attempting to place sanctions on Masood Azhar.

Besides blocking India's entry into the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG, China has also consistently refused to allow Masood Azhar, who heads the Jaish-e-Mohammed and lives in Pakistan, from being banned by the UN Security Council, which would prevent the terror chief from traveling internationally and result in a global freezing of his assets.

India has accused Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar, his brother Mufti Rauf Asghar and his two other key lieutenants - Shahid Latif and Kashif Jan for the January 2 Pathankot airbase attack.