UNITED NATIONS (TIP): China has once again extended by three months its technical hold on the US, France and UK-backed proposal to designate Pakistan-based JeM terror group chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN. China had in February blocked the US move to designate Azhar, the Pathankot attack mastermind, as a global terrorist at the UN. The deadline for China to take action on its technical hold was till August 2.

If China would not have extended the hold, Azhar would have automatically been designated under the UN as a terrorist. Sources said just before the deadline lapsed, China again sought a three-month extension until November 2 on its technical hold on the proposal.

A veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, Beijing has repeatedly blocked India’s move to put a ban on Azhar under the al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the council. JeM has already been in the banned list.

Last year in March, China was the sole member in the 15-nation UN organ to put a hold on India’s application with all other 14 members of the council supporting New Delhi’s bid to place Azhar on the 1267 sanctions list that would subject him to assets freeze and travel ban.

(Source: PTI)