China blocks designating Masood Azhar as global terrorist, India reacts sharply

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New Delhi, Nov. 2 (TNS): India on Thursday reacted sharply to China again blocking banned Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar’s designation as a global terrorist by the UN, saying “accommodating with terrorism” for narrow objectives was both short-sighted and counterproductive.

China for the fourth time blocked the bid to list Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN, saying “there is no consensus” within the members of the sanctions committee.

Indian External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, in a strongly-worded statement, said, “We are deeply disappointed that once again, a single country has blocked international consensus on the designation of an acknowledged terrorist and leader of UN-designated terrorist organisation, Masood Azhar.”

However, the statement did not name China.

India strongly believes that “double standards” and “selective approaches” will only undermine the international community’s resolve to combat terrorism, Kumar said.

“We can only hope that there will be a realisation that accommodating with terrorism for narrow objectives is both short-sighted and counterproductive,” he asserted.

A veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, China has repeatedly blocked India’s bid to put a ban on the JeM chief under the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Council.