India takes up Masood Azhar veto case with China

06 April, New Delhi

New Delhi has taken up with Beijing at a high level the issue of China vetoing a UN bid to declare Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad’s leader Masood Azhar a terrorist.

Foreign secretary S Jaishankar said in New Delhi that it is an issue that has to be pursued in the UN context. However, Jaishankar indicated that the Azhar issue will not affect India’s relationship with China in other areas.

India had approached the UN in February to include Masood Azhar in the UN Security Council’s 1267 sanctions list, in the aftermath of the terror attack on the Pathankot airbase by JeM terrorists.

But it was last week put on hold for the second time by China, a close friend of Pakistan. China requested the UN sanctions committee to keep on hold the move to ban Masood Azhar.