'Accommodating with terrorism' short-sighted: India says to China

New Delhi: India on Thursday reacted sharply to China again blocking Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar's designation as a global terrorist by the United Nations (UN), saying "accommodating with terrorism" for narrow objectives was both short-sighted and counterproductive.

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.

China on Thursday for the fourth time blocked the bid to list Pathankot terror attack mastermind Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN, saying "there is no consensus" within the members of the sanctions committee.

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