Pakistan may withdraw opposition to listing Masood Azhar as global terrorist 

Masood Azhar.

New Delhi: In yet another development in the tense situation between India and Pakistan, the Pakistani media has quoted a Pakistani official claiming that Pakistan government may withdraw its opposition to listing Jaish-e-Muhammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. The official has also clarified that the decision to withdraw opposition has been taken before Pulwama attack in India on February 14.

India’s efforts to list Azhar as a UN-designated global terrorist have always been frustrated by China’s refusal to recognize him as a terrorist. China is Pakistan’s “all-weather friend”.

Pakistani media quoting the official source as saying: “In order to de-escalate the tensions between India and Pakistan, the Imran Khan government has planned action against the JeM. … The government has decided in principle to launch crackdown on the leadership of the JeM (Azhar). The action against JeM in the country is ‘expected any time soon’.”

“This will be another significant move of the Imran Khan government to de-escalate tensions after handing over the captured Indian pilot to his country,” the official was quoted as saying.

Recently, while condemning the jihadist attack on CRPF convoy by a suicide bomber that killed more than 40 security personnel in Pulwama in Jammu & Kashmir on February 14, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom has submitted a fresh proposal in the United Nations security council urging to list Massod Azhar as a global terrorist.

The UNSC is likely to consider the proposal within 10 days. This is the fourth proposal in the last 10 years in UNSC requesting to designate Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.

The notorious terrorist organization Jaish-e-Muhammed has claimed the responsibility of the attack. The listing of Masood Azhar as a global terrorist will bar him from traveling in the world, his assets will get freeze and arms embargo.

The air strike by India in Balakota, in which India destroyed the terrorist camp of Jaish days after Pulwama attack, had escalated tension between two countries. In the intense aerial dogfight, India has reportedly shot down a Pakistani F-16 that had violated Indian airspace and attempted to attack military instalments. India had also lost one MiG-21 in the counterattack and the downed pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was captured, on February 27.

The pilot was released on March 1.

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