The Pulwama attack played a role in designation of JeM chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist by the UN, the Ministry of External Affairs said Thursday, asserting that Pakistan was making claims over the listing to divert attention from the “huge diplomatic” setback it has suffered.
The assertion came afterPakistan claimed that it agreed to Azhar’s listing after all “politicalreferences”, including attempts to link him to the Pulwama attack, wereremoved from the proposal to designate him a global terrorist.
“The designation isnot based on the basis of a specific incident, but on the basis of evidencewhich we have shared with members of the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee, linkingAzhar to several acts of terrorism,” Ministry of External Affairsspokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a media briefing.
He said the notificationbroadly covers all terrorist acts.
“Elements are beingintroduced by Pakistan to divert attention from this huge diplomaticsetback,” Kumar said.
Asked whether India offeredsomething to China for Azhar’s listing, he asserted that India doesn’tnegotiate on matters related to national security.
“Our objective wasto ensure designation of Masood Azhar as global terrorist,” he said.
The Pulwama attack playeda role in Azhar’s designation, the spokesperson said, adding that China’ssupport to Azhar’s listing will contribute to better Sino-India ties.
In a huge diplomaticvictory for India, the UN Sanctions Committee on Wednesday designated Azhar asglobal terrorist after China lifted its hold on a proposal to ban him.
France, the UK and the UShad moved a fresh proposal to declare Azhar as global terrorist by the UN inthe wake of the February 14 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel werekilled.
The JeM had claimed responsibilityfor the attack.
However, China put atechnical hold on the proposal, blocking it for a fourth time to designateAzhar a global terrorist. India had termed the Chinese move as”disappointing”.
On Wednesday, Chinalifted its hold from the proposal.
A UN Security Council(UNSC) designation will subject Azhar to an assets freeze, travel ban and anarms embargo.
An assets freeze underthe sanctions committee requires that all states freeze without delay the fundsand other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals andentities.
In 2009, India firstmoved a proposal by itself to designate Azhar a global terrorist.
In 2016 again, Indiamoved the proposal with the P3 — the United States, the United Kingdom andFrance — in the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee to ban Azhar, also themastermind of the attack on the Pathankot airbase in January 2016.
In 2017, the P3 nationsmoved a similar proposal again.
However, on all occasionsChina, a veto-wielding permanent member of the UNSC, blocked India’s proposalfrom being adopted by the Sanctions Committee.