India to ask China to stop blocking Masood Azhar's ban, calls on UN to act

New Delhi: India will formally take up with China its blocking of the United Nations ban on terror mastermind Maulana Masood Azhar.

According to reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jingping next week at the BRICS summit in Goa.

China first blocked India's move on Masood Azhar in April by objecting to the request, a decision which was seen as support for Pakistan. Last week, seven days before its veto was to expire, China extended its "technical hold" - which amounts to a veto.

India has accused Azhar of planning two deadly terror attacks this year – in Pathankot air base in January and Uri in September.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup on Thursday said that the United Nations must proscribe Masood Azhar as a terrorist, as it will send a dangerous message if it fails to act.

"UN is expected to proscribe Masood Azhar under the 1267 sanctions regime, on the basis of our submission. This will send a strong signal to all terror groups that the international community will not pursue or tolerate selective approach to terrorism,” Swaup added.

“14 countries were on one side (on Masood’s blacklisting) and 1 on the other, so that lead to this extension," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup on China extending its hold on the move to ban Masood Azhar.

The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has already been blacklisted by the 15-member United Nations Security Council, but not its leader, Maulana Masood Azhar. China is the only country among the 15 which has stopping the blacklisting.

If Azhar is blacklisted, he would face a global travel ban and asset freeze, said reports.