China may allow India to get Masood Azhar designated as global terrorist

China’s decision comes about as a result of the realization that it was being isolated in the UN panel on the issue.

New Delhi: China could stop opposing India’s efforts to get Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar designated as a global terrorist.

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, a meeting between the top security officials of the two countries has led to ‘forward movement’ on the matter.

A ‘positive’, five-hour-long meeting national security adviser Ajit Doval had with powerful Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi on November 4 may have led to the change in China’s stance, said the report.

China blocked New Delhi’s appeal to the United Nations in April this year to label Pakistan-based Azhar a terrorist, putting a “technical hold” on the proposal.

China is the only one in a 15-member UN panel to block the appeal. Azhar has been held responsible by India for the Uri and Pathankot terror attacks earlier this year.

China might allow its “technical hold” on the proposal to proscribe Azhar to lapse when the panel dealing with the matter meets in January.

China’s decision comes about as a result of the realization that it was being isolated in the UN panel on the issue.

Last month, Pakistan froze the bank accounts of thousands of terror-linked individuals including that of Masood Azhar. Beijing is said to have spoken to Islamabad on Masood Azhar later.

There was, however, no movement in the Doval-Yang meeting on Chinese objections to India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG).

(This story first appeared in Deccan Chronicle)