Days after China blocked India’s bid to designated Jaish chief Masood Azhar as a “global terrorist” at the United Nations Security Council, Germany has initiated a move at the European Union to designate Azhar as a global terrorist. According to The Indian Express, Germany has been in touch with fellow member countries of the European Union to list Azhar as a terrorist. While such a proposition has been floated by Germany, no resolution has been moved yet.

As the 28-member bloc decides on such issues on the basis of the principles of consensus, all the members will have to agree to the proposal. This ban would block Azhar from travelling in the European Union and even freeze all assets in the 28 countries.

Recently after France froze Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar’s assets in France, Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui on March 17 informed that the issue of designating Azhar as a “global terrorist” at the United Nations security council will be resolved soon.

Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui said, “This matter (Masood Azhar on UNSC 1267 list) will be resolved. This is only a technical hold, which means there is time for continued consultations. It will be resolved believe me.” He added that China understands India’s concerns.

France freezes assets of Azhar

Days after France pledged to designate Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist at the United Nations, the UNSC permanent member has frozen his assets in France.

“France has decided to sanction Masood Azhar at the national level by freezing his assets in application of the Monetary and Financial Code. A joint decree of the Ministries of the Interior, and Economy and Finance was published today in the Official Gazette,” read the statement from the Government of France. Apart from the financial hurdles, Azhar and his followers will also be barred from travelling. France has supported India in its fight against global terrorism and the statement reiterates France’s stand on the issue as well.

France sanctions Masood Azhar: Joint Press Release from The Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, The Ministry of Economy and Finance and The Ministry of the Interior.

Read the complete joint press release below ⬇️https://t.co/1izwMeCJlK

— Alexandre Ziegler (@FranceinIndia) March 15, 2019

“We will raise this issue with our European partners with a view to including Masood Azhar on the European Union list of persons, groups and entities involved in terrorist acts, based on this decree,” read the statement. This move is expected to put more pressure on Pakistan to ban terror outfits which are operating on its soil. This comes a day after China blocked India’s bid to designate Azhar as a global terrorist at UN.

China blocks resolution on Azhar

For the fourth time, India’s bid to designate Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a “global terrorist” by the United Nations Security Council was once again blocked by China. On Wednesday, March 13, China, a veto-wielding member of the UNSC put a “technical hold” on the proposition which was forwarded by the UK, US, and France — all permanent member of the UNSC— in the wake of the Pulwama attack in February.

China has thrice earlier— in 2011, 2016 and 2017— placed such a “technical hold” on the proposition before finally terminating the proposal. China will get a maximum of nine months time before it can use its veto power to formally block or terminate the proposal.

China’s decision is all said to further worsen ties between India and China as it comes within a year of the Xi-Modi summit in Wuhan which was thought to have taken bilateral ties between both the countries to the next level. Both nations repeatedly cited the summit to claim that the relationship between India-China is in its best phase in history.

India disappointed by the move

Speaking on the Chinese attempts to block India’s bid at UNSC, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that it is disappointed by the outcome. “This (technical hold) has prevented action by the international community to designate the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed, a proscribed and active terrorist organisation which has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 14 February 2019,” a statement read.

MEA further vowed to pursue “all available avenues to ensure that terrorist leaders who are involved in heinous attacks on our citizens” are brought to book.

Reportedly, the resolution on Azhar was supported by an unprecedented number of countries apart from the three permanent members and India. Germany, a non-permanent member became the co-sponsor of the proposal at the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee.

China’s objections, which were made on technical grounds, came an hour before the deadline after which Azhar would have been tagged as a “global terrorist.”

While the UN banned JeM in 2001, India’s requests to brand Azhar as a global terrorist has been continually quashed by Chin…