‘Hope China will soon lift objection on Azhar ban’

New Delhi: British high commissioner to India Sir Dominic Asquith on Friday said he hopes that the “one country” (a reference to China without naming it) that has so far objected to the listing by the UN of Pakistan-based terrorist Masood Azhar as a global terrorist will lift its objection. He also said that after the Pulwama terror attack on February 14 this year, Britain had conveyed to Pakistan the need to take “irreversible action” against terror groups operating near the Line of Control (LoC).

On the Masood Azhar issue, Sir Dominic said, “It’s in the UN at the moment. We’re waiting to see whether the country that has so far been resisting agreeing to his listing will lift its objection. I remain optimistic that we will get to that conclusion. We’ve been strong supporters of the listing of Masood Azhar for a decade. So I hope we will get to that conclusion shortly. ... I remain optimistic that it will be resolved.”

On Britain’s role in defusing the post-Pulwama tensions between India and Pakistan, the British high commissioner said, “On Pakistan, we were practically involved in both sides, certainly talking to a variety of key actors over in Pakistan to make it clear what we expected in terms of Pakistani action against those terror groups who were operating around the LoC in terms of verifiable and publicly declared irreversible action against those groups.”  On a lighter note, he added in jest, “So don’t mistake natural British modesty in what we say in public with a lack of activity.”    

It may be recalled that on the Masood Azhar issue, India too is extremely hopeful that China will soon agree to the listing of Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN. New Delhi has already submitted all evidence to Beijing of the terrorist activities of Azhar, who heads the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

It may be recalled that the MEA had on Monday said, “We have shared with China all evidences of terrorist activities of Jaish-e-Mohammad and its leader Masood Azhar. It is now for the 1267 Sanctions Committee and other authorised bodies of the UN to take a decision on the listing of Masood Azhar.  

India will continue to pursue all available avenues to ensure that terrorist leaders who are involved in heinous attacks on our citizens are brought to justice.”